Andhra Pumpkin pulusu / Gummadikaya pulusu

Pumpkin pulusu

Haloween season has started and where ever I go, I see pumpkins all around. It is so festive to see all the orange pumpkins in different sizes (With all those bright colors around, I am already in a holiday mood). In US, during this Halloween month they make different dishes with pumpkin (pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin casseroles, etc) and decorate the houses with spooky, scary things. OCT’ 31st (official Halloween day), kids get to dress in different costumes ( last year my son was a superman, this year we are still debating, will let you know on what we decided)

When we say pumpkin (butter nut squash) to any south indian, all you hear from them is, either pumpkin fry or pumpkin pulusu. If I make pumpkin pulusu even my toddler can enjoy it, so,I headed to this butternut squash with a big knife (it has a tough skin) to give it hard whack!!

Pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene.

Ingredients-

• 1 small butter nut squash / Pumpkin diced (wash the pumpkin, cut it in the middle and remove the seeds, you can leave the skin on or you can cut the skin with the knife and cut the pumpkin into nice big cubes)
• 1 small onion chopped
• 4 Green chilies slit length wise.
• 1 lemon size Tamarind (microwave in 1/2 cup water for 30 sec)
• 1 tbsp of jaggery (adjust according to your taste)
• Dried Red chilies
• 1 spring of Curry leaves
• Hand full of Coriander leaves (finely chopped)
• Garlic cloves
• 1 tsp each of mustard seeds, Jeera/Cumin seeds Jaggery – 1 cup (grated/powdered)
• ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Chili powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Oil

Directions-

1. In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tbsp of oil and add mustard seeds, when they crack, add cumin, garlic, dry red chilies, turmeric and curry leaves.
2. Add onions and green chilies and sauté those till the onions are transparent.
3. Add the pumpkin / butternut squash cubes and sauté them for a min. Add salt and chili powder, mix well and cover the pan with lid for a min.
4. In the mean time, extract the tamarind juice and set it aside.
5. Open the lid, mix all of them together, add the tamarind juice and 2 cups of water (adjust the water depending to how thick or thin you want your stew). mix well and close the lid with the whistle. Let it cook for 2 whistles.
6. Let all the pressure cools down. Open the lid, stir it once and adjust the taste.
7. Add powdered jaggery and bring to boil. Allow it to cook for about 2 mts with lid covered till the stew turns a little thick. Keep stirring in between.
8. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice and a dash of ghee. Tastes heavenly with mudda pappu and papads/vadiyalu.

This is also our family festive dish for sankranthi.

Pumpkin pulusu