The Pumpkin Delights : Two Recipes

Rich in Beta -Carotene  which helps us fight free radicals , potassium, vitamin C, magnesium, and many top quality essential nutrients, Pumpkin is one of my Favorite vegetable. I love its flashy orange color and the brighter it is the better it is. The best part is this gorgeous veggie is very low in calories too.

It is a super food and the only richest  single source of   carotenoids. Rich in dietry fiber Pumpkin helps us prevent and cure many diseases.

I just love it for it’s taste and the variey of dishes one can make from it. Pies, cakes, soups and our own Indian sweets kaddu ka meetha ,Kaddu ki Kheer, and also mouth watering khatti sabzi ( sour vegetable) with grinded mustard seeds. It goes very well with Poories.

I got a remarkable bright orange pumpkin today and converted it into cooling Kaddu raita ( Pumpkin Raita) and Kaddu ka meetha ( pumpkin Halwa or sweet)

Sharing the recipes with you. Both things were instant hits as my boys are very well aware of their heavely taste.

Pumpkin Sweet ( Kaddu Ka Meetha )

Ingredients:

Grated Pumpkin – 2&1/2 cups

Milk -1/2 cup

Sugar – 1/2 cup

Cardamom – 5

Cashew nuts – 10

Almonds ( blanched) – 1o

Raisins – 10

Ghee – 1/4 cup (melted butter)

Method:

Soak the almonds in warm water, peel the skin and cut very fine . Keep Aside with raisens.

Roast the cashews in ghee until it becomes golden brown.

In a heavy bottom pan, heat 1 tsp ghee, add the grated pumpkin to it and stir well in low flame till the raw flavor is gone and the color changes slightly golden.

Add milk and cook till the pumpkin is tender and the mixture thickens a bit.

Add sugar and stir constantly on low flame .

Add 3 tsp ghee to it and stir well, put in low flame till the mixture leaves the sides and the aroma comes.

Add the roasted cashews, almonds, raisins  and grounded cardamom mix well and leave it for 5 minutes.

Serve hot or warm.

One variation of this meetha is without the milk. One can just roast the grated , steamed, mashed pumpkin in Ghee and add sugar and dry fruits. It all depends on how coloie concious you are

I love it rich

Pumpkin Raita  ( Kaddu ka raita )

Ingredients
2 cups red pumpkin (kaddu), peeled, steamed and mashed

1 teaspoon cumin seed power roasted (jeera)

2 to 3 green chillies, chopped

1 cup fresh curds

1 Onion – finely chopped

1 teaspoon ghee
salt to taste
For the garnish
2 teaspoons chopped coriander

For the seasoning

saron seeds ( mustard seeds) – 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh Kari patta – 5-6 leaves

Asafoitida ( Hing)  – a pinch

Method

Heat the ghee and add asafoetida, mustard seeds, kari patta.

When they crackle, add the green chilles and saute for 15 seconds.

keep it aside

Peel, steam and mash the bright yellow pumpkin.

Let it cool completely.

Whisk the curds till smooth and add to the cooked pumpkin, onion, salt and the seasoning. Mix well.

Serve chilled, garnished with the coriander and roasted cumin powder.

It’s snowing in sizzling Delhi :D

The killer heat wave that has hit most parts of India especially North India. The soaring temperatures have taken a  high toll on birds and animals alike.

In the past few days the max temperature went up to 44.7 degree celsius and minimum to 30 degree celsius , a record high for the month of April in last 52 years.

In the midst of all the dry heat, strong hot winds , scorching sun, sweat and grim, nature has its own ways to clam the tired eyes. The beautiful Gulmohar trees and the Silk cotton trees are such a joy to watch.

The silk cotton tree which was in full bloom some days back is now taking another avatar . The slight breeze sways the branches and  the entire area is flooded with wispy silk cotton .They float leisurely like snowflakes and settle on everything. A wonderful sight and a joy for kids who collect the little bundles of joy.

The cotton-like kapok is exposed when the fruits burst open while still on the tree. Because the fiber is short, elastic and brittle, it cannot be spun like cotton but  is used in various ways in upholstery and in making floss. Its light and water-repellent properties make it suitable for use in life preservers and as stuffing and insulation.

For me just to see the white carpet of soft fluffy balls covering half the garden floor is divine.

Take a look at these lovely pix.