Pumpkin Flower Tava Fry

Pumpkin Flower Tava Fry is an side dish and favourite dish of  Dakshina Kannada, especially Konkanis. Pumpkin flowers are loaded with healthy properties.

I have used besan, jeera/cumin seeds and chilly powder and salt. No added cooking soda or eno here.

Let us see some benefits of having these pumpkin flowers in our diet.

Pumpkin flowers are good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Pumpkin flowers are known to be full of health benefits. They are good for strengthening immunity system in our body. Good for treating for common cold and they are good for bones. They improve our vision since it contain Vitamin A. They are rich source of vitamin B9. The intake of pumpkin flower helps to improve the sperm quality and helps in infertility issues. It has vitamin c, vitamin B2 and vitamin B3. They  are good source of minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorus.
 iron, phosphorus,
Pumpkin plants bear two types of flowers. One is male which has no fruit under the flower and the female bear the fruit. (Small pumpkin).
Male flower which has no fruit under the flower.

Female flower which has fruit under the flower.

This Pumpkin Flower Tava Fry is simple, quick, yummy and easy to prepare.
I have used pumpkin flowers which grew in our pots, salt, chilly powder, cumin seeds and
besan./Channa flour .
Pumpkin flowers should be checked, cleaned and washed nicely. There will be ants inside the flowers.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed :

Besan /Channa flour : : 1/2 Cup
Pumpkin flowers : 4 to 5
Red chilly Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash pumpkin flowers nicely.

2. Take out the end part completely.  It is only the petals are used.
3. Check the petals to make sure there are no ants or any worm is hid in the petals.

4. Take a bowl and add 1/2 cup of besan, required salt, jeera/cumin seeds and chilly powder.
5. Mix all the ingredients nicely and add water to prepare bajji batter. It should be like dosa batter consistency.

6. Keep a dosa pan on the fire and heat. Add little oil to it. Let the fire be low.
7. Dip each pumpkin petal in besan batter and place it on the tava. Sprinkle some oil on it.

8. Cook on low and medium heat. Put some oil on the top and turn the other side and cook till they turn slightly golden brown.

9. Now Pumpkin flower Tava fry is ready to serve.

10. Serve as one of the side dish with lunch.

Note :
You can also prepare pakodas, dry palya, mosaru bajji and other side dishes with this Pumpkin flower.
Adding little rice flower to the batter while mixing is optional.
Adding little more chilly powder is optional.
Adding more oil helps the food to be tasty.

Time : 15 minutes.
Serves  : 2.

Harka - Moong Patties

Harka Patties ar simple food and Patties are prepared using left over Harka Uppittu.

Just thought of doing some thing using the left over Harka/Kodo Millet Uppittu. It was raining and crave for some fried or shallow fried Patties came into mind. The left over Uppittu in fridge took the shape of patties. It turned as some thing yummy bit spicy and tasty Patties.
I have used 1 boiled potato, garam masala, jeera powder, coriander leaves and a small quantity of cashew pieces.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Harka - Mong Uppittu : 2 Cups
Boiled Potato : 1
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tsp
Jeera /cumin seeds powder : 1/2 Tsp
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Tsp
Cashew Pieces: 2 Tsp
Salt : If required
Oil : 3 to 4 Tbs

Method :

1. Take a big bowl. Put Kodo / Harka Millet Uppittu , add garam masala, jeera powder. Add cashew pieces.

2. Add washed and cut coriander leaves and boiled potato. ( Peel off its cover before you add).
3. Add little salt and mix all the ingredients nicely.
3. Divide the mixture into small quantity. Take a small portion and pat it on your palm.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle some oil on top.
5. Place the patties on hot tava and cook till it turn as golden brown. Sprinkle some oil on the top and turn the other side and cook.

6. Harka Moong Patties are ready to serve. Serve with your favourite side dish like ketch up or sweet and hot chutney.

Note :

Adding boiled potato helps to bind the mixture. Adding garam masala is optional. You can use chilly powder, jeera powder and daniya powder instead. Adding more oil is optional. Adding any other vegetable like carrots and beans is optional.
Time : 10 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 

Link for Harka - Moong Uppittu :
https://nsomayaji.blogspot.com/2019/05/kodo-millet-moong-kadubu-uppittu.html   

Tava Fried Pumpkin Flower Fritter.

Pumpkin Flower Fritter is an old and traditional dish that goes well with South Indian Meal.

We normally have  Papads, fried pakodas or bajji as one of the side munch while having our lunch or dinner. It is nice to have these crunchy bites. Here I have prepared fritters from Pumpkin flowers.
We have put pumpkin creeper in our garden. The plant is growing very nicely but not much of buds attached to flowers. These flowers dry up soon and fall off. The idea is to use the flowers when it blossoms and have the good nutrition from the flowers.
I have used rava, rasam powder, jeera/cumin seeds and salt. No tamarind or tamarind pulp is used here.
This is one of the easy and quick dish that goes  perfect with your rice and sambar or any curry. This is one of the Udupi dish and normally done with patrode batter.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Pumpkin flowers : 6 to 8
Rava/Semolina /Sooji : Medium sized : 1/2 Cup
Rasam /Sambar Powder : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : As required
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons.

Method :

1. Wash and clean Pumpkin Flowers.

2. Put 2 to 3 tablespoons of medium or chiroti rava, required salt, rasam powder, turmeric powder and jeera in a big bowl.

3. Add required water and prepare batter. ( Idli  batter consistency).

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add a tablespoon of oil.
5. Dip flower pieces in rava batter and place them on the tava. Sprinkle some oil on the top and cover.

6. Cook on medium and low flame. Turn the other side and cook for a minute.

7. Pumpkin flower fritter is ready to serve.

Note :

Let the batter be bit thick, like idli batter. Adding more rasam powder/chilli powder/sambar powder is optional. Adding more oil while cooking is optional. I have used red pumpkin flowers. You can use Ash gourd flowers also.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.
Watch :