Dhoodhi puli koddel (Sweet pumpkin curry)

Serving size : Serves 2 people

Ingredients:

1 cup sweet pumkin, diced into large size cubes
1 cup shredded coconut
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon chanadal
half teaspoon sesame seeds
3 byadagi red chillies
2 teaspoons tamarind pulp(more if you want the curry to be more tangy)
2 teaspoons jaggery powder
2 pinch hing
half teaspoon turmeric
1 green chilli(Skip if you dont want a spicy curry)
1 teaspoon oil(for sauteing the spices)
Salt to taste

For seasoning:
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 dry red chilli
1 twig of karipatta(around 5-6 leaves)
1 teaspoon oil


Method:

Step1: Heat a round bottom pan. Add 1 and 1/2 cup water. To this add sweet pumkin cubes, turmeric and salt to taste. You can optionally add 1 green chilli which is partially slit to add extra spiciness to the dish. Boil this until sweet pumpkin is 90% cooked.

Step2: Heat a tadka pan or a seasoning pan. Add 1 teaspoon oil. Add coriander seeds. Fry until you can smell its aroma(do not burn it!!), add urad dal and chana dal. fry until urad dal turns golden. Add sesame seeds, hing and redchillies. fry everything together. Keep in mind not to burn it (fry them on medium flame). Turn off the heat and keep aside.

Step3: In a mixer grinder, add shredded coconut, roasted spices from step2, tamarind, jaggery. Grind into semicoarse but not very smooth paste. Add water as required so as to grind to this consistency.

Step4: Add the paste made in step3 to the boiled sweet pumpkins from step1. Mix well, turn the heat to medium and boil for 10 mins with lid closed(this enables the pumpkin to absorb spices). Switch off the heat and keep aside.

Serve with cooked rice or chapathi.