Kaddu Ka Khatta
pumpkin cooked down with tamarind, pomegranate seed and jaggery into the sharp sour dish that cuts a dham
Allergens in Kaddu Ka Khatta: mustard.
Ingredients
Quantities for 6.
- 700g, cut into 3cm cubes with the skin left on Pumpkinthe skin keeps the pieces from disintegrating
- 4 tbsp Mustard Oilheat it to smoking first to take off the raw pungency
- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetidause compounded-free hing to keep this gluten-free
- 2 tbsp thick pulp, from a lime-sized ball soaked in hot water Tamarind
- 1 tbsp, coarsely ground Anardanadried pomegranate seed, the sourness Himachal actually uses
- 3 tbsp, grated Jaggery
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Chilli Powder
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 3/4 tsp Dry Ginger Powder
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masalaoptional
- 2 tbsp, chopped Coriander Leavesoptional
- to taste Salt
- 300ml Water
Cookware
stovetop, kadhai
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Soak the tamarind in 100ml hot water for 20 minutes, then squeeze and strain out the pulp.
- Grind the anardana coarsely in a mortar just before cooking - ready-ground powder goes flat within weeks.
- Do not peel the pumpkin. The skin holds the cubes together through a long simmer.
Method
- Heat the mustard oil in a kadhai until it smokes faintly and the sharp smell drops away, about 2 minutes. Take it off the heat for 20 seconds to cool slightly.Raw mustard oil tastes acrid. Smoking it once is the whole difference.
- Add the fenugreek seeds and let them darken to a nut brown, no more than 15 seconds, then the cumin.Fenugreek turns bitter the second it goes past brown - have the cumin in your hand ready.
- Stir in the asafoetida, then immediately add the turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and dry ginger. Fry 20 seconds.
- Tip in the pumpkin and toss to coat every piece in the spiced oil. Fry on medium for 5 minutes until the edges start to catch.
- Pour in 300ml water, add salt, cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes until a knife slides into a cube with no resistance.
- Add the tamarind pulp, the ground anardana and the jaggery. Stir gently - from here on you want the cubes intact.
- Simmer uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, mashing four or five pieces against the side of the pan, until the gravy thickens to a loose chutney that clings to the pumpkin.Taste now and balance: it should read sour first, sweet second, never cloying. More jaggery or more tamarind, a spoon at a time.
- Finish with garam masala and coriander leaves. Serve at room temperature alongside rice and madra.
Storage
Keeps 4 days refrigerated and the sourness settles and deepens. Serve cold or at room temperature; it is not a dish that wants reheating, though a minute on low is fine.
Nutrition Good estimate
One serving of Kaddu Ka Khatta (186 g) is about 166 calories, or 90 calories per 100 g.
Low protein: 2 g a serving, 5% of the calories
| Per serving186 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 166 kcal | 90 kcal |
| Protein | 1.9 g | 1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 20.4 g | 11 g |
| of which sugars | 13.1 g | 7 g |
| Fibre | 1.8 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 9.9 g | 5 g |
| of which saturated | 1.2 g | 1 g |
| of which unsaturated | 7.9 g | 4 g |
Nearest database match used for asafoetida, garam masala, jaggery. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Vegan Indian recipes · Vegetarian Indian recipes · Gluten-free Indian recipes · Dairy-free Indian recipes · No onion no garlic recipes · Pahari recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.