Red Pumpkin Curry

Peter ..Peter pumpkin eater...Had a wife and couldn't keep her

Put her in a pumpkin shell...kept her very well...
Do You remember this Rhyme ?
Pumpkin has such a last long shelf life vegetable and the rhyme depicts the strong shell of it.

Red Pumpkin curry is a side dish and goes well with almost all the main dishes.

It all reminds me the pumpkin growth in our birthi house. Birthi is a small place near Brahmavar in Udupi district. |My father in  law used to grow lots of vegetables in the Angala(court yard) in front of the house during the rainy season. (When rains are bit low during August and September). They are like bendekai (lady;s finger), Heere kai (Ridge gourd), Harve soppu (Amaranth leaves), Padavala kai (Snake gourd) so and so.
During the summer when the field is empty after harvesting urid they used to grow, vegetables like cucumber (Mangalore Cucumber), pumpkins (both the varieties) and harvest them and keep them hanging in hatti or padsale (hatti is cow shed and padasale is inner room next to kitchen where they pray). These all turned as stories to our kids and they can only imagine the beauty of our village home surroundings. The pumpkin which are saved are used in the rainy days. Rains used pour at its best in rainy days.
Let us see some benefits of having Pumpkin in our diet.
Red Pumpkin, the vegetable has many good vitamins and minerals. It is full of nutrients and low in calories. Pumpkin helps to reduce the obesity and helps to protect you from diabetes, heart diseases and helps to gain healthy skin glow. It provides the energy and take care of the weight. Pumpkin has the rich source of beta carotene content and Vitamin A. It is good for easy digestion since it is full of fiber content. It has potassium and vitamin c and it helps to support heart health.
Let us see the recipe now :
Udupi Special  " Red Pumpkin Curry ", traditionally done during feast or festival or even day today's lunch. 
Udupi Brahmins do not use Onions or Garlic in their curries. Though onions are used occasionally but strictly not on some fasting and special days. It is in  a way healthy and keeps you away from acidity and gastric problems.

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Red Pumpkin : 1 Bowl.
Methi Seeds : 4 to 5 seeds.
Ginger gratings : 1 Teaspoon.
To Grind :
Coconut : Grated : 1/2 Cup
Jeera /Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Red Chilly : 3 to 4
Tamarind Pulp : 2 Tablespoons
For Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and remove the thick outer layer of pumpkin and cut into pieces. Wash it water and keep it aside.
2. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

3. Soak a marble size tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp.
4. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. (an inch). Grate it and keep it aside.

5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add coconut oil and put mustard seeds.
6. Let it splutter. Add ingh and curry leaves.
7. Add cut pumpkin pieces and stir once or twice. Add 4 to 5 methi seeds and grated ginger.

8. Add little turmeric powder and required water. Add methi seeds and grated ginger.
9. Cover and cook pumpkin pieces till they turn soft. (Cook on medium heat).
10. Grind coconut, jeera,mustard seeds, tamarind pulp and red chilly with required water till paste.

11. Remove from the mixi jar to a bowl.
12. Put cooked pumpkin pieces in a bigger pan. (I used small cooker).
13. Add salt, ground coconut mixture and required water. Mix it well. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

14. Shift " Red Pumpkin Curry " to a serving dish. Add coriander leaves and serve with main dish.

Note :

Red pumpkin cooks faster and it turns softer soon. Be careful while cooking and do not over cook. Adding onions or garlic to the curry is optional. ( I did not add). Use of coconut oil is optional.
Use of chilly more /less is optional. Adding methi seeds and grated ginger, while pumpkin cooking helps to reduce the gas quantity in pumpkin.
Time : 20 Minutes 
Serves : 3 to 4 .

Rava - Jaggery -Wheat Holige (Rava Pooranpoli)

Holige/Poli/Boli/Pooran Poli what ever you call it, it is loved by almost all. People have come a long way eating Holige during festivals, feast or functions. Holige is one of the traditional dish and is a signature dish of Indians.

There are varieties of holiges which are made from different ingredients. Different places in India have different styles in preparing Holiges. They are called as in different names too. Pooran Poli in Maharastra, Boli in Tamilnadu, Poli in Kerala, holige or Obbattu in Karnataka, bobbatlu in Telugu. In Gujarathi  it is known as Vedmi.

Varieties of holiges are available in the market. Carrot holige, coconut holige, dal/bele holige, rava holige, dates holige, nuts holige, fruits holige so and so. The basic ingredients are like sugar/jaggery, maida/all purpose flour or wheat/rava etc. You can choose your own choice and prepare Holige these days. Kova/Milk content or panner also can be used and prepare  holige.

Obbattu/Holige is normally prepared during festivals like Yugadi, Deepavali, Holi and Gowri Festivals. Holige /Obbattu prepared during the marriages and celebrations like inviting Son in Law to home for the first time.
Now a days there are lots of Holige selling shops in each road and people just buy from their and add it to their menu and enjoy eating them.

Here is a Holige which is prepared using small size rava (chiroti rava), jaggery and used wheat flour for the outer layer.

It is an  healthy option to use jaggery and wheat flour.

It is very easy to prepare and you can njoy eating Holige with ghee, milk, fresh coconut milk and  fruit rasayana(mango or banana).
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

For the Outer layer :
Wheat flour : 3 Cups
Chiroti Rava /Thin variety of semolina : 2 Tablespoons
Salt :  2 pinches
Cooking Oil : 1/2 Cup
For  stuffing :
Chiroti Rava : 2 Cups
Jaggery : 2 Cups or little more
Cardamom : 5 to 6 pods
Ghee : 1/2 Cup
Turmeric powder : 1/4 Teaspoon

Method :
1. Mix salt, chiroti rava and wheat flour with required water. Add 2 tablespoons of oil on the top and let it rest for an hour.

2. Keep water for boiling. ( 4 cups of water for 2 cups of chiroti rava).
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add chiroti rava and fry on low and medium heat.
4. Fry rava till the raw smell disappear. Add boiling water and mix it nicely and let it cook for a minute.
5. Add powdered jaggery and mix it well. Let it mix well with cooked chiroti rava. Add a spoon of ghee. (Tablespoon).
6. Keep stirring till it thickens. Add the remaining ghee and cardamom and mix the  sweet content nicely.
7. Put it on a plate/tray and let it cool.
8. Divide the wheat dough in to small portions. ( 20 to 22 portions can be made).
9. Now mix the rava jaggery mixture and divide them into small portions.
10. Take a small divided portion of wheat flour and stuff a small portion of rava jaggery mixture.
11. Fold the sweet mixture in wheat flattened chapati. Give a round shape.
12. Keep a bowl of dry wheat flour by the side.
13. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Clean it with a kitchen tissue.
14. Take a stuffed wheat dough and dip in dry wheat and roll it on chapati plank (chapati Mane).
15. Flatten as round circle. Do not put your weight or it might tare.
16. Place this rolled sweet holige on the tava and cook on both side.
17. Holige is ready to serve. Serve Hot " Rava - Jaggery - Wheat Holige " with ghee on the top.

18. Repeat the same with remaining dough and sweet rava mixture.

Here is a video of preparing Rava - jaggery - wheat Holige 

Try - comment and share...

Note :

Wheat dough should be soft and easy to roll. Adding more oil to prepare the dough and cooking holige is optional. Adding more jaggery is optional. Rolling thin/thick holige is optional.
Do not put weight while rolling
holige. It might tare. Handle the holige with slow and soft touch. Use of sugar and all purpose flour to prepare holige instead of wheat flour and jaggery is optional. (wheat and jaggery healthy option).
Time : Total time : 1 Hour 30 Minutes.
25 Holiges can be prepared. (According to the size).