Pumpkin Sambar
A classic South Indian delicacy, Pumpkin Sambar is a spicy, tangy, mildly sweet gravy dish made from lentils and fresh seasonal pumpkins.
Equipment
- Pan
- Pressure Cooker
- Spatula
- Knives and Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 300 gm Hokkaido Pumpkin ( Take half of a small pumpkin); peeled, deseeded and cut into cubes
- ⅔ Cups Toor Dal; washed and soaked in water for about 2 hours
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 3-4 Shallots; cut into long pieces
- 1 Large Tomato; thinly sliced
- 1-1½ tsp Sambar Powder
- 1 tsp Tamarind Pulp mixed with ⅓ cup of water
- 1 tsp Jaggery Powder
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 3-4 Green Chillies; slit
- 2-3 Cloves Garlic; chopped
- Finely Chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
- Water to adjust the consistency
Ingredients for tempering
- 1 tbsp Oil/Ghee
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds/mustard seeds
- 6-8 Curry Leaves
- ⅓ tsp Asafoetida
- 2-3 Dry Red Chillies
Instructions
- Discard excess water from the soaked lentils. Add 2 cups of fresh water and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and cook it in a pressure cooker until it turns mushy.
- While the lentils cook, heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and fry them for a few seconds on medium heat.
- Add shallots, garlic and green chillies. Fry them till the shallots turn translucent.
- Add pumpkin cubes and thinly sliced tomato.
- Add salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and sambar powder.
- Reduce the heat. Cover the pan with a lid and cook till the tomato turns mushy and the pumpkin is cooked (but still has a bite).
- Then, add cooked lentils.
- Add tamarind juice and jaggery. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Bring it to a boil.
- While the sambar boils, prepare the tempering by frying cumin/mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies and asafoetida on medium heat.
- Add this to the boiling sambar. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with steamed rice and ghee.