Kaddu Ki Sabzi
Cubed pumpkin cooked with fenugreek seeds, ginger, chilli and a touch of jaggery in a sweet-and-sour North Indian curry.
Photograph credit: Kaddu(Pumpkin) by Shubhamvats48 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
This is what to make when the pumpkins come into the shops in autumn and a whole one is cheaper than a few slices. Kaddu ki sabzi is a sweet-and-sour North Indian dish that treats pumpkin as a spiced vegetable, not a dessert.
The seasoning is unusual. Fenugreek seeds and fennel go into hot oil, followed by ginger and dried chilli. They are strong, so use them sparingly. Do not let the fenugreek seeds go dark brown. They turn bitter very quickly.
Cut the pumpkin into 3 cm pieces and leave the skin on if it is thin, as it holds the pieces together. Cook with a lid on, over a low heat, with just a splash of water.
A little sugar and a squeeze of lemon at the end bring in the sweet and sour balance. Mash a few pieces against the pan to thicken the sauce. Butternut squash can replace the pumpkin, and it gives a sweeter, smoother result.
Kaddu Ki Sabzi: Step by Step
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Heat the oil in a wide pan. Add the fenugreek and fennel seeds for 15 seconds, then the chillies and ginger for 30 seconds.
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Add the pumpkin, turmeric, chilli powder, salt and water and stir.
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Cover and cook over a low heat for 18 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pumpkin is soft.
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Mash a few pieces against the pan. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice and cook for 2 minutes.
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Tips That Matter
- Watch the fenugreek seeds, because they turn bitter when dark.
- Cook with the lid on over a low heat.
- Mash some pumpkin to thicken the sauce.
- Adjust the sugar and lemon to your taste.
Changing the Recipe
- Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the red chillies. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
- If you only have ground ginger, a quarter-teaspoon for each tablespoon of fresh is the ratio usually given; it tastes warmer and less bright than the fresh root.
Serve It With
Puri · Chapati · Steamed rice · Plain yoghurt
Storage
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water.
Nutrition per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published ; last changed .
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