Pumpkin Stir Fry/Duddhe Upkari is a simple (no onion, no garlic) south Indian style stir fry with chunks of pumpkin in mild aromatic spices like asafetida and turmeric in mustard -lentil seasoning. Curry leaves are added to flavor and brighten up the dish.
With pumpkin being the rage in soups, pies, cakes, muffins, lattes etc., we love them mostly as a simple stir fry. Except for cheesecake or a simple chocolate pie, I have never been a big fan of any pie, let alone pumpkin pie! I know pumpkin soup is loved by many, but any thin soup is more my kinda soup than the thicker bowls of hot soup.
My most favorite to-go dish with red pumpkin is duddhe upkari; a simple quick stir fry with exotic but simple spices from south India. Just a whiff of asafetida with a hint of turmeric and added lentils for flavor and texture is all this curry or stir fry needs. For a dash of sweetness (although pumpkin is sweet by itself), I have added jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) along with salt.
A few minutes on the stove and fresh, healthy pumpkin stir fry is ready in no time. It goes best with just rice and a simple dal like dalithoy, but you could relish it with any Indian flat bread like chapattis, parathas etc. along with a dal like shahi masoor dal or a curry like aloo tikka masala along with some yogurt for a complete Indian meal.
Here we go with this simple recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 cups peeled pumpkin, chopped into big chunks
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 3 to 4 dry red chillies, according to your taste
- ½ teaspoon urad dal/split black gram lentils
- Few curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon hing/asafetida
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 to 2 tablespoons jaggery(unrefined cane sugar)/brown sugar
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a large wok or kadai.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add red chillies (cut into 2 to 3 pieces), urad dal, hing/asafetida and curry leaves; sauté for a few seconds.
- Add the pumpkin pieces, turmeric powder, jaggery and salt to taste. Mix well.
- Close with a lid and cook on medium heat, stirring in between till slightly soft and just until tender. If you feel the vegetable is too dry, sprinkle a few spoons of water while cooking.
- Do not let the pumpkin cook too much or they will turn mushy.
- Remove from heat and serve hot with rice and dalithoy or even with any flat bread.
How to make Duddhe Upkari with step-by-step Method:
- Heat 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a large wok or kadai.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add red chillies (cut into 2 to 3 pieces), urad dal, hing/asafetida and curry leaves; sauté for a few seconds.
- Add the pumpkin pieces, turmeric powder, jaggery (add only 1 teaspoon first and then add more later, depending upon how sweet the pumpkin is) and salt to taste. Mix well.
- Close with a lid and cook on medium heat, stirring in between till slightly soft and just until tender. If you feel the vegetable is too dry, sprinkle a few spoons of water while cooking.
- Do not let the pumpkin cook too much or they will turn mushy.
- Remove from heat and serve hot with rice and dalithoy or even with any flat bread.
- Enjoy!!!
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Other stir fries you can try are:
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Thank you for this recipe. I cooked this yesterday. Slightly different cause I didn't have all the ingredients, but it turned out delicious. I'm going to keep this website on bookmark and see what else i can cook from here.
Thanks so much for sharing you thoughts and appreciation.
This happens to be my go to pumpkin stir fry/curry with most south Indian meals.
I am so glad you loved it too.
And thank you for visiting my site and hopefully you will get to try more of my dishes using simple ingredients and methods.
Season's Best Greetings to you and your family.
Simple and nice recipe.. perfect side dish with dal chawal. I don't cook pumpkin dishes because hubby dear doesn't like this vegetable.
Thanks Shobha 🙂 Do try this simple one; maybe we can make him a pumpkin lover!!
Anything with pumpkin is a favourite for my family. This is such a comforting and tasty dish, just need some chapathis to finish off the bowl!!!!
Thanks so much Geetha 🙂 🙂 Sounds lovely with chapathis dear!
When I just saw this, I thought it’s tapioca. I make similar stir fry using tapioca...this looks yummy. Will try this next time
Thanks a bunch Lathiya 🙂 🙂 I will try with tapioca the next time.
I love making pumpkin sabji,but the way I make it has a very basic flavor. I should try out your method, which has many flavors right from the urad dal to curry leaves. A healthy sabji.
Absolutely dear! Thanks so much 🙂 🙂
South Indian style pumpkin stir fry looks fabulous. It's so easy least and ready in minutes. I shall give it a try soon as my hubby loves pumpkin in various styles.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Lata 🙂 😉 Do try, I am sure you all will love this too!
Very easy recipe. quick steps to cook this simple delicious recipes
Thanks so much Punam Paul 🙂 Do try this easy stir fry; one of my all-time favorites!