Narkel Kumro ~ Bengali Pumpkin and Coconut Curry

Today it’s time for a very easy recipe called Narkel Kumro. Pumpkin and grated coconut cooked together with some peanuts, is a very tasty and light side dish. It goes well with rice and lentils...but its best with roti and parathas. Along with some green chillies, this dish is just as good as Kumror Chakka.

I am not very good with vegetarian dishes, but pumpkin almost always surprises me for the way they turn out...exceptionally tasty and witty!! J

Temper the oil with whole spices.

Add the pumpkin cubes and season with salt and sugar.

Cook for 2-3 minutes and then add the powdered spices and slit green chillies.

When the pumpkins are half cooked add the grated coconut.

Cook till the pumpkins are all cooked and mushy and all the water has been evaporated.

Later when I made this dish again, I added some roasted peanuts into them and I loved the crunch. Now I have a whole big pumpkin in my home...which I bought last week. I am still wondering as to make what with that one...maybe this time I try some desserts with the pumpkin. What about Pumpkin Tiramisu?? I think that will be interesting!! What do you say??

Narkel Kumro / Pumpkin and Coconut Curry

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

500gm pumpkin – peeled and cubed

½ of a medium coconut – very finely grated

2 dry red chilli

1 bay leaf

1 tsp panchforon / Bengali five spices

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 green chillies – slit

A handful of roasted peanuts

Salt

2-3 tsp sugar

1 tbsp oil

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai and add the five spices, bay leaf and dry red chillies.

Saute for a few seconds and then add the cubed pumpkin pieces.

Sprinkle some salt and sugar and mix in.

Put cover and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium flame.

After 3-4 minutes, open the cover and add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and the slit green chillies.

If required add a dash of water and cook again for another 3-4 minutes.

Then add the grated coconut into them.

Also add the roasted peanuts (if you are using them) and cook on medium flame till the pumpkin and coconuts are all very much incorporated with each other. Also make sure that all the water that oozed out of the coconut is evaporated. This will take some 2-3 minutes of time.

Taste and adjust the seasonings, and put off the flame.

Serve hot with some lentils and rice.