Description
This Indian Pumpkin Curry is a rich, flavorful, and wholesome dish featuring tender pumpkin cooked with aromatic spices and creamy coconut milk. Perfectly balanced with a hint of sweetness from jaggery and tanginess from amchur powder or tamarind, this curry is ideal served with rice, roti, naan, or any flatbreads for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Legumes
- 350 grams pumpkin (12 ounces, about 2 ½ to 3 cups diced)
- 1 cup chickpeas (cooked or canned, optional)
- 1 ¼ cup onions (finely chopped, 1 large onion)
- 1 ¼ cup tomatoes (deseeded & finely chopped, 2 large or 1 cup tomato puree)
- 1 green chilli (optional, chopped, Indian/Thai or Serrano peppers)
- ¼ cup coriander leaves (finely chopped)
Spices & Seasonings
- ½ tablespoon ginger paste (or ½ inch peeled & grated ginger)
- ½ tablespoon garlic paste (or 4 to 5 grated cloves)
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon salt (½ + 1 tsp, divided)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Kashmiri Red chilli powder (adjust to taste, usually 2 tsp)
- 1 ½ teaspoon garam masala (1 + ½ tsp, divided, more if desired)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder (optional, leave out if unavailable)
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, optional)
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon amchur powder (or tamarind paste or lemon juice, adjust taste)
- 1 teaspoon jaggery (or brown sugar, optional to balance flavors)
- 1 Indian bay leaf (or 1 sprig curry leaves, optional)
- 2 inch cinnamon piece (or ½ inch cassia, optional)
- 1 star anise (optional)
Liquids & Fats
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 to 1 ½ cups hot water (to be added in batches)
- ¾ cup coconut milk (or 4 tablespoons almond flour blended with ½ cup water)
Instructions
- Prepare the Aromatics: Heat the oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Add the Indian bay leaf, cinnamon piece, and star anise if using, and sauté for a minute until fragrant.
- Sauté Onions and Spices: Add the finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in the ginger paste and garlic paste and cook for another 2 minutes to release their flavors.
- Add Tomatoes and Ground Spices: Mix in the deseeded and chopped tomatoes or tomato puree. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the mixture thickens and oil starts to separate. Then add the red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, fennel powder (if using), and salt (half amount). Stir well to combine and cook for another minute.
- Cook Pumpkin and Chickpeas: Add the diced pumpkin and cooked chickpeas to the pan. Stir gently to coat them with the spice mixture. Add hot water gradually (1 to 1 ½ cups) to cover the ingredients partially. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 20-25 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
- Finish with Coconut Milk & Seasonings: Stir in the coconut milk (or almond flour blend) along with kasuri methi, garam masala (half amount), amchur powder, jaggery, and remaining salt. Cook uncovered for 5-7 minutes on low heat to let the flavors meld and the curry thicken slightly.
- Final Touch and Garnish: Add the chopped green chilli and coriander leaves. Sprinkle the remaining garam masala for an extra aroma if desired. Give it a final stir, then remove from heat.
- Serve: Serve hot with steamed rice, roti, naan, or any preferred flatbread for a hearty meal.
Notes
- This pumpkin curry is deliciously flavorful and easy to prepare.
- Serve it over rice, roti, poori, naan, dosa, or your favorite flatbread for a complete meal.
- You can substitute almond flour blend with coconut milk to make it creamier and richer.
- Adjust the level of spice according to your preference by modifying green chilli and Kashmiri red chilli powder.
- Using dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri methi) enhances the traditional aroma but is optional.
- The pumpkin adds natural sweetness, balanced with jaggery or brown sugar to round flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 401 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 19 mg
