Pumpkin Spicy Curry

Pumpkin spicy curry is a side dish and easy to prepare. You can have this side dish with almost all the main dishes.

I have used pumpkin, coconut and home prepared spice powder.
Let us see some benefits of eating pumpkin in our diet.
Pumpkin is filled with vitamins and minerals. It has potassium and anti oxidant properties. It has Vitamin A  Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Pumpkin is very low in calorie and it keeps you full for a longer time. It is good for weight loss. It is full of fiber. It ia good for our eye health. Eating pumpkin is good for our immunity health. It helps in fighting against bacterial infections and fungal infections. Beta carotene in pumpkin helps to protect our skin. It also helps in reducing the glucose level and increasing the amount of insulin in our body. It is good for diabetes.

No onion or No garlic is used in this Pumpkin Spicy Curry. 

I have not used any dal in this curry. Udupi style Pumpkin Spicy Curry. It is easy, simple and quick. 

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Pumpkin Pieces : 1 Big bowl

To Add :
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Tamarind pulp : 1 Teaspoon
Methi/Fenugrik seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon

To Grind :
Sambar Powder/Rasam powder : 2 Teaspoons
Coconut : 3 to 4 Tablespoons

To Season :
Coconut oil : 1Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Green chilly :1

Method :

1. Wash and remove the outer layer (Peel off the skin) and cut into small pieces. Wash the pieces and keep it aside.

2. Grate coconut and grind it with sambar/rasam powder using little water.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add coconut oil, mustard seeds, jeera and let it fry.
4. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add ingh, green chilly and curry leaves.
5. Add pumpkin pieces and stir once. Add 1/2 cup of water, a pinch of turmeric and cook on medium flame till they turn slightly soft.

6. Soak tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp. Add it to cooked pumpkin pieces. Add methi seeds. (Raw methi seeds).
7. Add required salt and mix it well. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it slowly. Add 1/2 cup of water if required. Let Pumpkin Spicy Curry boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

8. Shift the curry to a serving bowl and serve with hot rice.

Note :

Do not over cook the pumpkin pieces. It cooks faster and turns as paste. Use of any sambar/rasam powder is optional. I have used home prepared sambar powder. It taste better. Use of any dal is optional. Do not add much tamarind. It should be mild. Adding methi/Fenugrik seeds helps to lower the cholesterol level in the curry. It helps to digest the food easily. Do not add more water to the curry. It should be bit thick. (Taste better).
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 
Style : South Canara /Udupi/Karntaka/India.

Home made Sambar Powder :

Dry roast 1/4 Teaspoon of methi seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of channa seeds/Kadale bele, 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds and 1/2 Teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds with 5 to 6 byadagi chilly.
Dry grind it once it is cools.

( 1 time use).

Foxtail Millet & Mixed dal Dosas

Here I have tried using dals and foxtail mellet. 

varities of dosas can be prepared using this dough, like plain dosas (Crispy as choice), Masala dosa, (Using potato dry curry), paddu, onion dosa etc.

You can even prepare dosa as soon as you grind the dough. ( Optional) (Fermented is better and good).
Foxtail millet/Navane is one of the healthy Millet and using millet in daily life has become more popular these days .Millets are getting more and more popular. I have used mixed dals & Foxtail millet and prepared plain dosa and Masala Dosa. Dosa  came out crispy, yummy and need not to say we loved it. I even tried the fresh ground dough which was just ground and it turned soft and nice.
I have used foxtail millet, moong, toor, urid and channa dal with little Avalakki/flattened rice.
Millets are known as "Siri Dhanya " in Kannada langurage/Karnataka/India. This foxtail millet is known as Navane or Navanakki in Kannada. (ನವಣೆ ಅಥವಾ ನವಣಕ್ಕಿ), Kaon dhana in Bengali, Kooralu in Telugh and Kangani in Hindi.
Millets are known for their healthy properties, they are gluten free, rich in fiber and helps to control diabetes and high blood pressure.
Adding  little dry ginger powder helps to avoid the gas contained in dals. It acts as antioxidants and helps to digest the food easily. 
Let us see the recipe Now :

Ingredients

Foxtail Millet : 3 Cups
Urid dal : 1/2 Cup
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Toor dal : 1/2 Cup
Channa Dal : 1/2 Cup
Avalakki : 2 Handful ( Nearly 1/2 Cup)
Methi Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
1 Teaspoon of ginger :
Salt : As It required

Method :

1. Wash and soak all the ingredients together except avalakki/flattened rice/poha. and methi seeds.

 2. Grind it after 3 to 4 hours with required water and remove from the grinder.

3. Put it in a big bowl and add required salt and ginger powder. Let it ferment. (Over night or 6 to 8
hours).
.

4. In the morning or when you are ready to prepare dosa, mix the dough well. The dough is ready to use it.
Now let us try the plain dosas :

 Plain Dosa :

Things Needed
Fermented dough  : 1 Big bowl
Ghee/Cooking oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Method : Keep the pan on the fire and heat. Clean the pan nicely. (No oil should be there on the tava). Use a clean cloth or kitchen to clean the tava.
2. Mix the dosa dough and a ladle of dough and spread it on hot tava/pan. Let the flame be very low.
3. Now sprinkle oil/ghee on the top and cook on medium and low flame for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Remove the dosa from the pan and serve hot Foxtail Millet dosa with a side dish of your choice.

Note :

The consistency of the dough should be not very thich. Dp not heat the pan fully with oil and then try to do dosa will stick to the pan. Be careful and clean the pan and remove the oil completely. Spread the dough slowly so that it turns as thin as you want. Adding ghee/oil is option.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4

Masla dosa :

Things Needed :

Fermented dough : 1 Big bowl
Oil /Ghee : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Potato Onion dry curry : 1 Bowl.
Method :
1. Keep a dosa pan on the fire and clean it with a kitchen tissue.
2. Mix the dosa dough nicely and take a ladle full of dough and spread it on the tava. (Let the flame be very low while spreading around the dough. Or it stick to the pan and you will not be able to spread it nicely.

3. Let it cook on medium flame once you finish spreading the dough . Let it cook on 1 to 1 minutes.
4. Cover and cook on low flame for a minute. Dosa turns crispy on low flame.
5. Add some oil or ghee on the top. Take one or two tablespoon of potato dry palya and close dosa with both sides.

6. Let it be there for a minute. Now remove ready Foxtail Millet Masala dosa and serve with the side dishes you have prepared.

Note :

Do not put dough when the flame is high or the pan is too hot. Sprinkle some water on the top of tava and let it cool. Reduce the flame to be low. Clean the tava with clean cloth or kitchen tissue. Adding chutney powder on the dosa and then placing dry potato palya is optional. I have not done it. Using ghee taste better.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4 People

Dry Potato curry /Palya

Boil 3 to 4 potatoes and peel off the outer layer. Smash it and keep them aside. Cut 3 to 4 onions, 2 green chilly, curry leaves (5 to 6) (wash it before cutting) and keep it aside.
Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of oil, mustard seeds and urid dal. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and cut green chilly. Fry for a minute. Add cut onions and fry till they turn golden brown. Add salt, turmeric powder and smashed potatoes. Mix it well and add washed, cut coriander leaves. Dry Potato Curry is ready for Masala dosa.

Dosas prepared with fresh ground dough which is not fermented.

You can also prepare dosas as soon as you grind the dough. Add required salt to ground dough.
Prepare dosas and serve with your choice of side dish.

Dosas are soft when you use the dough which is not fermented.

Time for soaking 3 to 4 Hours. Fermentation : 6 to 8 hours.
You can prepare dosas as you like it ..
Njoy..Happy Millet ..Healthy Millet, Yummy Millet....
Type : Indian/South Indian.

Coconut Chutney

Grind fresh coconut, little tamarind, 2 green chilly and required salt with little water. Let it be soft and paste consistency. Remove it from the mixi jar and add mustard, curry leaves and ingh seasoning. Coconut chutney is ready to serve.