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Kembude Da Gassi (Mangalorean Pumpkin Curry)

Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mangalorean

Ingredients
  

For the curry

  • 500 g chopped pumpkin
  • 2–4 green chillies
  • Water, as needed for cooking and grinding

For the masala

  • ¾–1 cup grated coconut
  • 4–5 roasted Byadagi chillies
  • A small ball of tamarind
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste

For the nesal/tadka

  • Coconut oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves

Instructions
 

Method

  • Boil the chopped pumpkin and green chillies in water until the pumpkin is cooked.
  • Pick out the boiled green chillies. Grind them with the grated coconut, roasted Byadagi chillies, turmeric, tamarind and salt to make the masala paste, adding water as needed.
  • Add the masala paste to the cooked pumpkin. Check the salt, bring the curry to a boil and simmer for around 5 minutes.
  • Heat coconut oil in a small tadka pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter before adding the curry leaves.
  • Pour this nesal over the curry, mix and serve with rice and happala papad.

Notes

  • Boiling the green chillies with the pumpkin, then grinding them into the masala, is the distinctive step in this family recipe.
  • We usually leave the pumpkin unpeeled. Peel it if reserving the skin for chutney, as I did for this version.
  • The green chilli quantity can be chosen within the stated 2–4 range to suit preference.