INGREDIENTS
- Cooking oil 2tsps
- Cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp
- Garlic crushed 2 cloves
- Asafoetida a pinch
- Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
- Curry leaves 1 sprig
- Dried red chilies 2
- Yellow pumpkin cubes 1 cup
- Water 2.5 cups
- Crushed jaggery 1 tbsp.
- Black pepper powder 1/2 tsp
- Turmeric powder 1/4tsp
- Tamarind paste 1 tsp.
- Rasam powder 2 tsps.
- Salt 3/4tsp.
DIRECTIONS
- In a medium sized deep pan, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- After the mustard splutters, add curry leaves, crushed garlic, dried red chilies, asafoetida, and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the pumpkin cubes (small sized), and toss well.
- Add 2.5 cups water, bring to a boil.
- Reduce flame, cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, until the pumpkin pieces are almost cooked.
- Add tamarind paste, jaggery, salt, rasam powder, black pepper powder and turmeric powder and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Serve hot as a soup or with steamed rice. TIP: No rasam powder handy? You can you use sambar powder as a reasonable substitute.
- No sambar powder either? Lightly roast a few black pepper corns, a teaspoon of cumin seeds and coarsely crush it in a mortar pestle. Mix with 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder.