6 Exciting Ways to Make Pumpkin Dishes Yummylicious

Pumpkin is a versatile vegetable. In India, pumpkin is mainly used during fast and also for making great dessert. In western countries it is used in multiple dishes from pumpkin pie to pumpkin buns. This universal vegetable gives many nutritional values to your recipe. By mixing pumpkin to your everyday dish you can add great flavor to your simple recipe. I have tried different classical combinations of pumpkin with coconut milk, yogurt, jaggery and milk.Let me share some interesting pumpkin recipes with you here.

[h1]Red pumpkin soup Indian style[/h1]

Ingredients

1. For Curry,2 tbsp edible oil, ½ cup onion (chopped)
2. 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1 tbsp garlic paste, 1 dried red chili
3. 3 tbsp tomato sauce, 1 tbsp lemon juice
4. Salt to taste, ½ tbsp cumin seeds, 2 ½ cups coconut milk
5. 4 cups vegetable stock, 2 tbsp curry powder
6. For garnishing, 6 tbsp fried onion (sliced)
7. 6 tbsp coconut milk

Procedure

Cut the pumpkin into quarters, place these quarters in a roasting pan and bake for about 1 hour or until it soft. Put the pumpkin pieces aside for 10 minuts or until it enough cool, peel the skin away from the pumpkin. You will get 3 bowls of roasted pumpkin puree. (Use oven or tandoor for baking the quarters)

Heat the oil in a deep pan add cumin seeds, ginger- garlic paste and chopped onion saute it for 2 minutes or until onion become soft, add tomato puree, salt and curry powder, stir well for another 2 minutes. Add dried red chili and lemon juice. Mix well. Now add roasted pumpkin pulp. Saute it for another 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and vegetable stock. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the flame and puree the soup with blender. Adjust the salt proportion. Garnish with fried onion slices and coconut milk.

(Note: If you do not have oven or tandoor: fry chopped pumpkin cubs with 4 tbsp edible oil and cover the pan till it become soft)
Serves: 6

[h1]Pumpkin yogurt[/h1]

Ingredients

1. 1 cup plain yogurt
2. 1 cup steamed pumpkin
3. Salt to taste
4. Pinch of black pepper powder
5. Pinch of black salt
6. Pinch of nutmeg
7. 2 pinch of sugar
8. ¼ tbsp cinnamon

Procedure

Put all ingredients in a bowl and stir well until everything is mixed together. Top with toping of your choice. You can add banana slices, raisins, or almond flaks. Serve immediately or refrigerate it for half an hour.
Serves- 2

[h1]Sweet pumpkin bun[/h1]

Ingredients

1. Grated pumpkin 2 cups
2. Ghee 2 tbsp
3. Jaggery grated 1 cup
4. Rice flour 1 cup
5. Wheat flour 1 cup
6. 1 tbsp hot oil
7. Oil for deep fry.

Procedure

Heat ghee in a non-stick pan. Add grated pumpkin and saute for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame, add jaggery and rice flour mix well. Keep aside for 15 minutes or till it cool. Now add the wheat flour and 1 tbsp hot oil knead the dough. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Make small balls of this mixture and place one plastic sheet. Cover it with the other plastic piece (apply little oil on both the sides of plastic piece) press with hands and shape it like a puri. Deep fry the gharges till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.

[h1]Red pumpkin kheer (Dessert)[/h1]

Ingredients

1. 1 cup grated red pumpkin
2. 3 cups full fat milk
3. Sugar- ¼ cup
4. Cardamom powder- ¼ tbsp
5. Ghee- 2 tbsp
6. 2 tbsp chopped dry fruits (cashew nuts, almonds, pistachio)

Procedure
Heat ghee in a deep non stick pan, add grated pumpkin, saute for 5 minutes or till it become soft, add sugar, cardamom powder and dry fruits. Now add the milk and stir for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Serves- 4

[h1]Pumpkin oats (breakfast)[/h1]

Ingredients

1. ½ cup oatmeal
2. ¼ cup pumpkin
3. ½ cup milk
4. 1 cup water
5. Pinch of salt
6. 1 tbsp sugar
7. Pinch of nutmeg
8. 2 tbsp almond flakes

Procedure

Bring oats, water and salt to boil stir continuously, boil till it become slightly tender, add pumpkin, milk, sugar and nutmeg powder, boil for another 2 minutes. Turn off the flame, add almond flakes. Serve hot.

Serves- 1.