Punjabi Kaddu ki Sabzi: Sweet and Sour Spiced Pumpkin Curry with Fluffy Puris

Heat the oil in a heavy kadai or deep skillet over medium heat until it just begins to shimmer. Add the fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds and let them sizzle and darken slightly, about 30 seconds.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900g) sugar pumpkin or kabocha, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tbsp mustard oil or neutral oil
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp amchur (dried mango powder)
• 2 tbsp jaggery or brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• Handful fresh cilantro, chopped, plus 8 store-bought or homemade puris to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a heavy kadai or deep skillet over medium heat until it just begins to shimmer. Add the fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds and let them sizzle and darken slightly, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in the asafoetida, grated ginger and slit green chilies and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the pumpkin cubes and toss to coat in the spiced oil. Sprinkle over the turmeric, chili powder, coriander and salt and stir well.
4. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and let the pumpkin cook in its own steam for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the cubes are tender and starting to break at the edges. Add a splash of water only if the pan looks dry.
5. Uncover and lightly mash about a third of the pumpkin against the side of the pan so the sabzi becomes thick and jammy while the rest stays in chunks.
6. Stir in the jaggery and amchur and cook uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce is glossy and tastes equally sweet, sour and spiced. Adjust salt.
7. Scatter with chopped cilantro and serve hot with puffed puris, a wedge of lime and sliced red onion on the side.
8. Kaddu ki sabzi is the pumpkin dish of North Indian home kitchens and temple feasts alike, a classic pairing with puri that shows up at Diwali spreads, wedding lunches and the bhandara community meals served at gurdwaras in Punjab. The dish is built on a khatta-meetha balance, with jaggery for sweetness and amchur for a bright sourness, and because it is cooked without onion or garlic it is considered satvik food suitable for fasting days. Late autumn, when the pumpkins are sweetest, is exactly when it tastes best.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 310 kcal
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 14g
• Carbohydrates: 44g
• Fiber: 5g
• Sugar: 14g
• Sodium: 620mg