Gummadikaya Pulusu ~ Pumpkin Stew

Ingredients :

Red Pumpkin Pieces : 1 cup
Onion : 1
Tamarind : small lemon size ball
Green Chillies : 2 or 3
A pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder ; 1/2 tsp
Rice Flour : 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds : 5 seeds
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Oil : 1 tsp
Curry leaves : 1 stem
A pinch of hing

Method :

Soak the tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes, then squeeze the extract out of it and set aside. Wash and chop the pumpkin into medium size pieces and set aside. Peel and chop the onion into big size pieces and keep aside. Place the pumpkin pieces, chopped onion, green chillies, fenugreek seeds and water in a vessel. Cook till the pumpkin is soft. Then add the salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, tamarind extract and two cups water to it and mix well. Dilute the rice flour in the water. Then add this mixture to the pumpkin stew and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Switch off the flame. Heat one teaspoon of oil in a pan for seasoning. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. When the seeds stop popping, add the curry leaves and hing and fry for few seconds. Add this seasoning to the pumpkin stew and mix well. Serve hot with steamed rice, ghee and some papads.