Pumpkin sabji (for fasting)

• Servings: 2-3
• Preparation time: 3 minutes.
• Cooking time: 11 minutes.
• Total time: 14 minutes.

Pumpkin (kabocha in Japanese) is available everywhere in Japan; it is sweeter and brighter in colour in comparisons to Indian pumpkin. The skin is also harder than Indian pumpkin. I prepared the recipe that is perfect compliment for fasting days and equally suitable for casual days. It is easy and convenient to cook. Mild flavour of Indian spices with dash of tamarind for balancing the sweetness of pumpkin.

“Pumpkin Sabji for Fasting” is a simple yet flavourful dish specifically prepared for Indian fasting days, using ingredients that are both light and permissible for vrat (fasting).

This dish combines tender, naturally sweet pumpkin with mild spices such as cumin, fenugreek, Fennel and a hint of rock salt (sendha namak), which is traditionally allowed during fasts. Often enhanced with a touch of ghee and sometimes garnished with fresh coriander.

This pumpkin sabji is easy to digest and provides the energy needed to sustain a day of fasting. Served best with kuttu ki roti or samak rice, this vrat-friendly pumpkin sabji is a nutritious, delicious choice that makes fasting both satisfying and enjoyable.

It is an excellent source of beta carotene, vitamin ‘A’; important for healthy white blood cells, good for immunity, good for eyes, skin and hair.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin: 500 gm.
• Fenugreek seed:  1 teaspoon
• Fennel seed: 1 tablespoon
• Cumin: 1½ teaspoon
• Tamarind pulp: 1 teaspoon
• Ginger: 2” piece
• Ghee: 3 tablespoon
• Rock salt (Sendha namak): 1 tablespoon

Preparation:

1. Chop the pumpkin into 1” pieces. Keep aside.
2. Grate/chop ginger, keep aside.
3. Dry roast, fenugreek, fennel seed and 1 spoon of cumin on lower flame, prepare masala powder, and keep aside.

Method:

1. Take a heavy bottom pan, heat ghee, add ½ teaspoon of cumin, sputter for few seconds; add chopped ginger, sauté on high flame for few seconds. Add chopped pumpkin stir fry for a minute, cover and cook until half done on low flame (About 4-5 minutes).
2. Add salt; continue to cook till 90% done, add prepared spice powder and continue to cook for couple of minute. Put off the flame; transfer into serving bowl .
3. Serve with “Singhare ki Poori” or ‘Kuttu ka Paratha” on fasting days.

Pumpkin sabji (for fasting) by Nag Ratna Sahu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.