Pumpkin Curry with Lentil | Pumpkin Sambar (Vegan)

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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.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 86kcal

Author: Kushi

Equipment

Pressure cooker
Pan

Ingredients

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