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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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!