Pumpkin Curry with Lentil | Pumpkin Sambar (Vegan)

Pumpkin Curry with Lentil is a protein-packed dish made using fresh pumpkins and lentils (dal) as the main ingredient. This pumpkin sambar can be served as a side dish with steamed rice, idli, flatbread like chapati or tortillas, or even piping hot as soup.

Pumpkin sambar

The sweetness of the pumpkin combined with the nuttiness and aroma of dal and the spiciness of sambar powder makes this dish delicious. It is one of the best ways to enjoy the flavor of pumpkin this fall season. This pumpkin curry with lentil is popularly known as dudde kolbo in Konkani, manjal poosanikai sambar in Tamil, kaddu ki sabzi in Hindi, and kumbalakai sambar in Kannada. The dish is vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

Pumpkin: I have used yellow pumpkin and some white pumpkin cubes. You can use any one or combine other vegetables like drumstick, eggplant, sweet potato, mangalore cucumber (magge), etc.

Toor dal: Also called split peas or pigeon peas is mainly used to make Indian dal. You can use any other lentils like red, yellow or green. Check the pictures and names of Indian dal here.

Sambar powder: You can use homemade or store-bought sambar powder, which is available in any Indian or Asian store. Add increments if you use this powder for the first time because each brand has a different flavor.

Other ingredients: I have added only onion, tomato, ginger, green chile, and hing.

Check out the recipe card for the full list of the ingredients.

Step-by-step instructions

Preparation

• Wash and pressure cook the dal with enough water for 2 to 3 whistles.
• Water should be at least ½ inch above the toor dal. Let the first whistle be on high flame and the remaining two in medium flame.
• Once the pressure drops, remove the lid. Whisk the dal and keep it aside.

Making of pumpkin sambar

• Cut the pumpkin, deseed (do not discard; you can make chutney with it), and cut it into cubes. If desired, peel the skin.
• Boil the pumpkin cubes in water along with onion, ginger, green chile, tamarind or tomato, and cook until the pumpkin becomes soft.
• Add the whisked dal and mix well. Cook this for a minute.
• In a bowl, add sambar powder with a few tablespoons of water and whisk until there are no lumps.
• Add this, along with the hing and salt, and boil. If the dish becomes thick or dry, then add water if desired. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

For tempering

• In a kadai pan heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Switch off the flame. Add this to sambar and mix well.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steaming rice.

Tips

• To make this pumpkin curry with lentil, you can use any split lentils, such as red, yellow, or green, instead of toor dal.
• To make it more vegetable-packed, you can add other vegetables like eggplant, potato, drumstick, capsicum, etc.
• Adjust sambar powder based on how strong or mild it is.
• Sambar powder is available easily in any Indian store. You can even use homemade sambar powder.
• I have combined yellow and white pumpkin today. You can use anyone.
• Never overcook the pumpkin. It will become mushy.
• For a no onion, no garlic version, skip the onion in the recipe.

More pumpkin recipes

Recipe card

Pumpkin Curry with Lentil | Pumpkin Sambar (Vegan)

Kushi

Pumpkin Curry with Lentil is a protein-packed dish made using fresh pumpkins and lentils (dal) as the main ingredient. This pumpkin sambar can be served as a side dish with steamed rice, idli, flatbread like chapati or tortillas, or even piping hot as soup.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Servings 8

Calories 86 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Pressure cooker
• ▢
  Pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 to 4 cups Pumpkin chopped
• ▢ ¾ cup Toor dal split peas, or yellow lentil check tips
• ▢ 1 Onion chopped into cubes
• ▢ ½ inch Ginger grated
• ▢ 1 Green chile slit
• ▢ 1 inch Tamarind or 2 Tomatoes chopped
• ▢ ¼ to ½ teaspoon Asafoetida / Hing
• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoon Sambar powder or storebought
• ▢ Salt taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves garnish optional

Optional tempering

• ▢ 1 tablespoon Oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• ▢ 1 leaflet curry leaves

Instructions

 

Preparation

• Wash and pressure cook the dal with enough water for 2 to 3 whistles.
  ¾ cup Toor dal
• Water should be at least ½ inch above the toor dal. Let the first whistle be on high flame and the remaining two in medium flame.
• Once the pressure drops, remove the lid. Whisk the dal and keep it aside.

Making of pumpkin sambar

• Cut the pumpkin, deseed (do not discard; you can make chutney with it), and cut it into cubes. If desired, peel the skin.
  3 to 4 cups Pumpkin
• Boil the pumpkin cubes in water along with onion, ginger, green chile, tamarind or tomato, and cook until the pumpkin becomes soft.
  1 Onion, ½ inch Ginger grated, 1 Green chile, 1 inch Tamarind
• Add the whisked dal and mix well. Cook this for a minute.
• In a bowl, add sambar powder with a few tablespoons of water and whisk until there are no lumps.
  2 to 3 tablespoon Sambar powder
• Add this, along with the hing and salt, and boil. If the dish becomes thick or dry, then add water if desired. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
  Salt, ¼ to ½ teaspoon Asafoetida / Hing

For tempering

• In a kadai pan heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Switch off the flame. Add this to sambar and mix well.
  1 tablespoon Oil, 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds, 1 leaflet curry leaves
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steaming rice.
  2 tablespoon Coriander leaves

Notes

• To make this pumpkin curry with lentil, you can use any split lentils, such as red, yellow, or green, instead of toor dal.
• You can add other vegetables like eggplant, potato, drumstick, capsicum, etc., to make it packed with vegetables.
• Adjust sambar powder based on how strong or mild it is.
• Sambar powder is available easily in any Indian store. You can even use homemade sambar powder.
• I have combined yellow and white pumpkin today. You can use anyone.
• Never overcook the pumpkin. It will become mushy.
• For a no onion, no garlic version, skip the onion in the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 86kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 34mgPotassium: 282mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 207IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg

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Note: We originally posted this pumpkin curry with lentil in Oct 2015. It has now been modified in June 2024 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.