This is a tasty vegan Indian Pumpkin Curry Recipe also known as khatta meetha kaddu. It is a perfect vegetable side.
I have grown up eating this sweet sour and spicy North Indian pumpkin curry at home.
Pumpkin is peeled and cooked with some aromatics and spices till it is melting soft. You can then eat it with chickpea flour roti or besan ki roti.
You may also like: Sem ki sabzi, aloo capsicum ki sabzi, jeera aloo, toor dal.
Stuffed acorn squash is another variation you will enjoy if you love squashes.
Ingredients
1. Pumpkin: Use yellow pumpkin. Butternut squash can also be used in its place. Do remove the peel as it is quite tough.
2. Ginger chilli: Using grated or minced ginger and chilli gives it a nice heat.
3. Spices: Use whole spices and spice powders like turmeric, cayenne, amchur (or lemon juice), fenugreek seeds, garam masala powder along with asafoetida and mustard seeds.
4. Mustard oil: Cold pressed mustard oil is the oil of choice. In case you don't have it, olive oil, avocado oil or any other vegetable oil can be used.
5. Curry leaves and cilantro: These herbs give this curry a lovely flavor.
How to Prepare
This kaddu curry just needs quick sauteeing in oil of different spices and herbs to which peeled and chopped yellow pumpkin cubes are added.
These are then simmered on low flame till they become completely cooked and start melting into the cury.
Add spices to taste and serve hot.
You can cook this curry on stove top, in manual pressure cooker and in Instant pot.
I have shared the stove top recipe here.
Tips
1. Use slightly sweet yellow or orange pumpkin for this recipe.
Butternut squash also works well in place of pumpkin.
2. Remove the peel as that tastes tough. Also you can use pre cubed pumpkin while making this curry.
That cuts down on the prep time.
3. I have used both green chilli and cayenne as I love spice.
You can cut down on it as per choice.
4. If you can't find green chilli, you can use thai red chilli or fresno chilli in its place.
5. Slow cooking this curry on low heat gives it a delicious taste.
Variations
This recipe is already vegan and dairy free. It is also vegetarian.
You can use ghee in place of mustard oil for more flavor. In which case it will not be dairy free.
To make it gluten free, skip asafoetida or heeng in the recipe.
Instructions
Peel, remove the seeds and chop pumpkin into cubes. You will have about 3-4 cups. Keep aside.
Heat mustard oil in a pan.
Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and fenugreek seeds. Cook till the mustard seeds sputter.
Add broken dry red chillies and curry leaves and cook for a minute or two.
Add ginger chilli minced or grated and cook for 1 minute.
Now add the pumpkin pieces, sugar (optional only if the pumpkin is not sweet) and salt with ½ cup water.
Cook covered for 5-7 minutes.
Add turmeric powder, garam masala, chilli powder or cayenne and some more water.
Mix well and cook covered for 5-6 minutes till the pumpkin is well cooked and almost mushy.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Now add amchur powder (or 1 tsp. lemon juice) and cook for a minute more.
Serve hot garnished with cilantro.
Here's the recipe card:
📖 Recipe Card
Indian Pumpkin Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups Pumpkin peeled and cubed about 1 lb.
- 2 tsp. mustard oil or any other vegetable oil
- ½ tsp. mustard seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida
- 2 dry red chillies broken
- ¼ tsp. fenugreek seeds
- ½ tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 tsp. ginger-chilli minced or grated
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder
- ½ tsp. chilli powder or cayenne
- 1 tsp. amchur powder or 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. garam masala
- ½ tsp. sugar optional only if pumpkin is not naturally sweet
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp. cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Peel and chop pumpkin or butternut squash into cubes. You can use precut pumpkin too.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, fenugreek seeds. Allow the seeds to sputter
- Add broken red chillies and curry leaves and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add ginger chilli grated or minced and cook for 1 minute.
- Now add the pumpkin pieces, sugar (optional) and salt and ½ cup water. Cook covered for 5-7 minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, garam masala, chilli powder and some more water if too dry. Mix well and cook covered for 5-6 minutes till the pumpkin is well cooked and almost mushy.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Now add amchur powder or lemon juice and cook for a minute more.
- Serve hot garnished with cilantro. You can serve it dry or leave a little curry in it.
Notes
Nutrition
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Shailaja V says
Pumpkin is such a tasty vegetable and gives rise to so many varieties. With roti especially, this will go so well I'll send this one to a couple of people I know who love pumpkin sabzi.
Soumya Prasad says
You know, I follow this exact recipe ?
I love pumpkin, it is such a delicious vegetable, I wonder why many don’t like it. As for me, I’m known to like the weird ones. Pumpkin, brinjal, snake gourd etc ?
Rachna says
That's nice to know. I think I like most veggies as well. ?
Parul Thakur says
I like that recipe. It’s simple and doable. My Mum loves kaddu but I have never had much to develop a taste. VT keeps asking me about Kaddu so I think I can do this on his birthday ? ?
Rachna says
? I hope VT likes it.
Parul Thakur says
Ha ha! If I make it ?
Rachna says
?
Anjali says
Hi, quick question - the pumpkin is peeled and then chopped? I've seen it done both ways. I'm a novice cook, so pls clarify. Thanks
Rachna says
Hi Anjali, Yes, I prefer to remove the peel and then chop. Hope that helps.