As I write this, the weather in Dubai has mellowed and it’s no longer scorching hot. The humidity in the air is persistent but it’s breezy. There are light dispersed clouds on some days that result in the sunlight to be what we Punjabis describe as “mathhi matthi dhoop“. These are all signs that the festive season is just around the corner. And yes, Navaratras begin tomorrow. The west, meanwhile, is revelling in the arrival of Autumn, or what the Americans call, Fall. Pictures of Pumpkins or the humble Kaddu in it’s various forms is splashed across all food blogs and magazines.
Kaddu and Glamour?
But for most Indians, the Kaddu is not as glamorous as the west makes it out to be during the Halloween season or with it’s obsession with Pumpkin Spiced Lattes at this time. It is just a squash vegetable that is not a crowd pleaser in most homes. In our home, however, it is eaten with utmost relish. This khatti meethi (sweet and sour) Kaddu ki sabzi is often made on Ashtami or Durgashtami as part of the ever so popular Halwa Poori Chane meal. We make a part tangy- part sweet pumpkin mash that goes great with a puffy salted poori and brings a sort of semblance to our otherwise veggie-less meal.
Indian Pumpkin Amir
The kind of Pumpkin we use here has green skin and a pale yellow or orange flesh. I haven’t been able to find the exact botanical name for the variety but it is referred to as Pumpkin Amir. The green skin may have yellow spots on it and it is probably a cousin of the Acorn Squash and the Japanese Kobucha variety. But the closest variety that for the Indian Pumpkin Amir is the Jamaician Pumpkin or Calabaza. If you are familiar with the names of this popular Indian variety then please do tell me more about it in the comments below.
You may remember reading or even trying Kanika’s recipe for Achari Kaddu from last winter. Now when Kanika and I exchanged notes on our Kaddu recipes, we found that they were awfully similar. But some differences stood out.
This Kaddu sabzi uses Amchur or tomatoes to add some sourness to the sabzi. This Khatti Meethi sabzi also uses tiny amounts of sugar and the pumpkin is cooked with the skin. The resultant dish here is more of a mash but the cooked skin adds a nice texture to the sabzi.
So here’s how we make this Asthami special Khatti Meethi Kaddu ki Sabzi
Prep Time- 5 mins; Cooking Time- 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 mins
Yields- 2 cups; Serves 2-3
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Amir or any green skin Pumpkin, 500 grams
- Vegetable Oil, 1 tablespoon
- Fennel Seeds, 1/2 teaspoon
- Cumin Seeds (jeera), 1/2 teaspoon
- Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds), a pinch or 4-5 seeds
- Salt to taste
- Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon
- Coriander powder (optional), 1/2 teaspoon
- Amchur (Raw Mango Powder), 1 teaspoon OR 1 Small Desi Tomato
- Sugar, 1/2- 1 teaspoon
- Garam Masala, 1/4 teaspoon
- Fresh coriander leaves, chopped, 1/4th cup
Method
Start by cleaning the Pumpkin skin with water. Pat dry and cut into cubes. Do not peel the skin.
Place a Kadhai on medium high heat. Pour vegetable oil in the kadhai and wait for it to heat up. Throw in the cumin, fenugreek and fennel seeds in the oil and wait for a minute till they bloom.
Add cubed Kaddu (pumpkin) to the oil in the kadhai and give it a stir. Now add some salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder if using. Stir well to toss the pumpkin in the spices.
Reduce the heat to low and cover the kadhai so that the pumpkin cooks in it’s own juices. Let this cook for 5-7 minutes.
Check the pumpkin after a few minutes. You will notice that the vegetable is now soft. Add some sugar to the Kaddu and using a spatula or spoon, mash the cooked Kaddu to give it a good mix.
Now is the time to add some sourness to the dish. If you are using tomatoes, us the desi Indian variety instead of the Roma as it is more sour and juicy. Chop the tomato and add it to the cooked Kaddu. Cover and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Alternatively, if you are using Amchur or raw mango powder for sourness, just sprinkle a teaspoon and give it a good mix and take the Kadhai off the heat.
Finally sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and garam masala.
Serve this Khatti Meethi Kaddu ki Sabzi with some Methi poori, Chhole to make a memorable festive meal.
- Pumpkin Amir or any green skin Pumpkin, 500 grams
- Vegetable Oil, 1 tablespoon
- Fennel Seeds, 1/2 teaspoon
- Cumin Seeds (jeera), 1/2 teaspoon
- Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds), a pinch or 4-5 seeds
- Salt to taste
- Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon
- Coriander powder (optional), 1/2 teaspoon
- Amchur (Raw Mango Powder), 1 teaspoon OR 1 Small Desi Tomato
- Sugar, 1/2- 1 teaspoon
- Garam Masala, 1/4 teaspoon
- Fresh coriander leaves, chopped, 1/4th cup
- Start by cleaning the Pumpkin skin with water. Pat dry and cut into cubes. Do not peel the skin.
- Place a Kadhai on medium high heat. Pour vegetable oil in the kadhai and wait for it to heat up. Throw in the cumin, fenugreek and fennel seeds in the oil and wait for a minute till they bloom.
- Add cut Kaddu (pumpkin) to the oil in the kadhai and give it a stir. Now add some salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder if using. Stir well to toss the pumpkin in the spices.
- Reduce the heat to low and cover the kadhai so that the pumpkin cooks in it's own juices. Let this cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Check the pumpkin after a few minutes. You will notice that the vegetable is now soft. Add some sugar to the Kaddu and using a spatula or spoon, mash the cooked Kaddu to give it a good mix.
- Now is the time to add some sourness to the dish. Chop the tomato and add it to the cooked Kaddu. Cover and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Alternatively, if you are using Amchur or raw mango powder for sourness, just sprinkle a teaspoon and give it a good mix and take the Kadhai off the heat.
- Finally sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and garam masala.
- If you are using tomatoes for sourness, us the desi Indian variety instead of the Roma as it is more sour and juicy.
