A Lazzatdar Pumpkin Subzi and a healthy Pumpkin Raita

The best part about cooking with pumpkin is it?s very quick to make. There are days when one does not want to cook or wants to cook something simple or wants to cook really fast, Pumpkin comes to the rescue.

Personally I can be a very lazy cook sometimes, especially when it?s hot and humid in the Kitchen. I just hate to stand there and COOK! So, it was one of those days when I made this subzi and to my utter surprise it came out really well?so, I am posting it.

I had made only Daal and rice and at the last moment I thought lets have a little veggie also as a side dish just for taste(Tondi Lavayala in Marathi). It was really less in quantity and everybody liked it so much that they started asking ?why did you make so less and I was completely speechless?I Guess it?s ?My Mistake? . S, was the saviour and said when you make less it tastes better and I completely agree to that. Let me share a secret with you..S believes firmly the best Subzis I have made till date were when I had cooked something very angrily.

Along with the subzi I am also posting the Pumpkin Raita which was a part of the feast I made for my family on the Rakshabandhan day and that heads towards -Show what you cook for Guests hosted by Rak?s Kitchen.

This raita is very simple and yet very tasty. Personally I can eat it just like that in a bowl without any side dish or chapati. It is extremely healthy as it requires Pumpkin to be steamed so all essential nutrients are restored in it. And as the Raita calls for Yogurt, this is very easy to digest.

Ingredients for The Pumpkin Subzi

400 gms Pumpkin skinned and cubed

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp red chili pwd

2-3 tsp Kitchen King Masala ( I used MDH)

2 tsp coriander pwd

1 tsp amchoor pwd (dry mango pwd)

salt to taste

a pinch of asafoetida

oil for cooking

Method To make the Subzi

Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and let them splutter, now add the fenugreek seeds, asafoetida and turmeric followed by the Pumpkin.

Mix properly and add the salt. The salt has to be added carefully as the volume of the pumpkin reduces considerably on cooking.

Once the pumpkins are half cooked add the chili, coriander, amchoor and Kitchen king masala. Mix and cook covered till done. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with roti/rice and daal.

For The Pumpkin Raita

200 gms Pumpkin cut in small cubes

1- 2 cups yogurt

1 tsp mustard crushed to pwd

2 tbsp roasted peanut pwd

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

a pinch of asafoetida (heeng)

cilantro to garnish

For the tempering

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 green chilies finely chopped

Method to Make The Raita

Boil the pumpkin till soft. Mix it with yogurt. Add the mustard pwd, peanut pwd, salt and sugar and mix again. Heat oil add mustard, green chilies and heeng and pour it over the raita. Garnish with cilantro.

The mustard gives a nice flavor to the raita and the peanuts increase the richness.

Serve with rice/ phulka.

I am sending both the recipies to event Side dishes for Chapati at Viki?s Kitchen hosted by Vicky Xavier