Description
This Indian Pumpkin Curry is a rich and flavorful vegetarian dish featuring tender pumpkin simmered in a fragrant blend of spices, coconut milk, and optional chickpeas. Perfectly balanced with a hint of sweetness from jaggery and tanginess from amchur or lemon juice, this comforting curry pairs beautifully with rice, roti, naan, or any flatbread for a wholesome meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 350 grams pumpkin (12 ounces, about 2 ½ to 3 cups diced)
- 1 cup chickpeas (cooked or canned, optional)
- 1 ¼ cup onions (fine chopped, 1 large onion)
- 1 ¼ cup tomatoes (deseeded & fine chopped, 2 large or 1 cup tomato puree)
- 1 green chilli (optional, chopped, Indian/Thai or Serrano peppers)
- ½ tablespoon ginger paste (or grated ½ inch peeled & grated)
- ½ tablespoon garlic paste (4 to 5 grated cloves)
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon salt (½ + 1 tsp, divided)
- 1 to 1 ½ cups hot water (add in batches)
- ¾ cup coconut milk (or 4 tablespoons almond flour blended with ½ cup water)
- ¼ cup coriander leaves (fine chopped)
Spices
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Kashmiri Red chilli powder (adjust to taste, typically 2 tsp)
- 1½ teaspoon garam masala (1 + ½ tsp, divided)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1½ teaspoons coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, optional)
- 1 to 1½ teaspoon amchur powder (or tamarind paste or lemon juice, adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon jaggery (or brown sugar, optional)
- 1 Indian bay leaf (or 1 sprig curry leaves, optional)
- 2 inch cinnamon piece (or ½ inch cassia, optional)
- 1 star anise (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Dice the pumpkin into 2 ½ to 3 cups and finely chop onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, and green chili if using. Measure out all spices and keep them ready for use.
- Sauté Aromatics and Spices: Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the Indian bay leaf, cinnamon piece, and star anise if using. Sauté for a minute to release their aroma. Add the chopped onions along with ginger and garlic paste and cook until the onions are translucent and golden brown.
- Add Tomatoes and Spices: Add the finely chopped tomatoes or tomato puree to the pan. Cook until the tomatoes soften and the oil begins to separate. Mix in Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala (1 tsp), cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric, and fennel powder if using. Cook the spice mixture for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
- Add Pumpkin and Chickpeas: Add the diced pumpkin and chickpeas if using. Stir well to coat them evenly with the spices. Cook for 3-4 minutes to let the pumpkin begin to soften.
- Simmer the Curry: Pour in 1 to 1 ½ cups of hot water in batches to cover the pumpkin. Add salt (½ tsp) and stir. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 25-30 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.
- Add Coconut Milk and Final Seasoning: Stir in the coconut milk (or almond flour blend) and the remaining garam masala (½ tsp), amchur powder (or tamarind paste/lemon juice), jaggery, and Kasuri methi if using. Adjust salt to taste (add remaining 1 tsp salt). Let the curry simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Garnish and Serve: Turn off the heat. Sprinkle finely chopped coriander leaves over the curry. Remove whole spices like bay leaf, cinnamon, and star anise before serving. Serve hot with steamed rice, roti, naan, or any preferred flatbread.
Notes
- This pumpkin curry is versatile and can be made with or without chickpeas.
- You can substitute coconut milk with almond flour and water blend for a nutty, dairy-free option.
- Adjust the level of heat by varying the amount of green chili and Kashmiri red chili powder.
- Kasuri methi and fennel powder add authentic depth but can be omitted if unavailable.
- This curry pairs well with rice, roti, poori, naan, or dosa for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 401 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 19 mg
