PUMPKIN – CHICKPEA PORICHA KUZHAMBU

This poricha kuzhambu is a famous dish in Tamilnadu & especially among Tamil Brahmin’s. This is my mom’s signature dish and whenever I visit my mom’s place, this has always been the one among my list that I ask for her to prepare.

We can also substitute mochai in place of chickpea. The common veggies used for poricha kuzhambu are pumpkin, brinjal, bitterguard, and drumstick. I have also added greens stem (keerai thandu) to make it in more healthier.

INGREDIENTS:

Pumpkin – 250 g

Chickpea/White channa – 1 cup

Greens stem – 1 cup (cut in 1 inch long strips)

Tomato – 1 medium size

Tamarind – 1 lemon size (juice to be extracted)

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – few

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt – To taste

TO GRIND:

Asafoetida – a small piece

Peppercorns – 1/2 tsp

Red chilies – 8 (adjust according to your spiciness level)

Fenugreek – 1/4 tsp

Urad dal – 4 tsp

Grated coconut – 3 tsp (add more if you are a coconut lover)

Sambar powder – 1 tsp

METHOD:

· Wash and soak chickpea overnight and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

· Extract the juice from tamarind and keep aside.

· Fry the ingredients given in the list “To grind” in little oil, lastly add the coconut while frying, remove from heat, and allow it to cool. Add sambar powder to this and grind to a smooth paste.

· Heat oil in kadai, add mustards and once they start to splutter, add curry leaves.

· Then add the pumpkin, tomato, and greens stem one by one. Add turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Let them get cooked in oil for sometime, say for about 3 minutes.

· Now, add the tamarind extract. Mix well and allow it to boil.

· When the veggies are half cooked, add the chickpea.

· Once the veggies are fully cooked, add the ground paste, mix well. Make sure no lumps are formed while adding the ground paste.

· Allow it to boil until the oil separates from the kuzhambu. Serve with hot steamed rice. I love to have this with dal rice (paruppu sadham).

This is on the way to FIC - Orange hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen started by Harini.