Pumpkin with coconut and poppy seeds – enjoy this simple and tasty Maharashtrian-style “Bhoplyaachi Bhaaji”, loaded with Vitamin A, fiber and various other nutrients.
Have it with hot Chapatis (Roti, Tortilla, Pita) and a spicy pickle for a light and simple, satisfying meal, or…. include it as part of an elaborate, festive spread.
Pumpkin is also one of the few “allowed ” foods during Upvas (pronounce ‘Oop-Vaas’; Vrat, religious fast). So, you can also make this delicious dish on Upvas days, as an accompaniment for Bhagar. Bhagar, a simple porridge-like dish, is also an “allowed” food during Upvas. Bhagar is made with Varyache Tandul, (‘Var’ rhymes with ‘her’, Var-yaa-Chay Thaan-dool;), which is a type of millet (Barnyard millet). It is known by many names across the Indian sub-continent: Vrat-ke-Chawal, Samo, Sama, Moraiyo, Mordhan, Kodri, etc. Of course, if you want to make this dish for Upvas, do pay close attention to a few of the optional ingredients I’ve listed in the recipe details… You are not supposed to consume some of these ingredients (Turmeric, Hing, fenugreek seeds, sesame seeds, etc.) during Upvas!
Pumpkin Sabji – Optional Ingredients in Bhoplyaachi Bhaaji
My Mom loved adding fenugreek seeds (Methi – Marathi, Hindi), poppy seeds (KhusKhus – Marathi, Hindi) and dried coconut in Bhoplyaachi Bhaaji (Bhoap-lyaa-chee Bhaa-jee). Her face would light up whenever she decided to make it this way – she called it special Nagpuri-style Bhaaji. Having grown up near Nagpur in central India, she had a special fondness for some of the dishes from that region.
While growing up, I really didn’t like the fenugreek seeds in this dish at all! Why not? Well, if I accidentally bit into one of them, they tasted a little bitter – and what child likes bitter?! However, my palate has since evolved…. I have grown to love the subtle but distinctive flavor that just a few fenugreek seeds impart, not just to this dish, but many others too. Several Indian dishes will not taste “just right” without the hint of Fenugreek.
I’ve placed several items, including fenugreek seeds, under the optional ingredients list. I have highlighted the ones that must not be added when making this dish on Upvas days. This gives you lots of options – you get to decide which ingredients you’re in the mood for! And, of course, you can change your mind the next time you make this dish…. I most certainly do! I love creating multiple flavor profiles from the same basic recipe, where each and every flavor/texture variation tastes amazing.
Golden Pumpkin – low in calories, loaded with nutrients
Gorgeous, golden pumpkin… with a hint of sweetness and a truckload of nutrients! Widely popular in all parts of the world, folks have developed countless ways to enjoy this beloved member of the squash family: sweet, savory, spicy, stewed, baked, roasted, fried… the variety seems endless!
What gives pumpkin its rich golden hues? Lots of brightly colored carotenoids: beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin… these not just for “looks”, though! Each is a powerful antioxidant, combating free-radicals and supporting your immune system. Beta carotene turns into Vitamin A in your body, crucial for maintaining vision, neurological function, healthy skin, etc. Lutein and zeaxanthin protect you against age-related vision-loss caused by macular degeneration.
What its brilliant color does not reveal, though, is just as significant. Its high moisture content, coupled with a decent amount of fiber, means it is quite low in calories. A 2/3 cup (100g) serving of cooked pumpkin not only delivers numerous vital minerals and vitamins, it also leaves you feeling full and satiated – all for just 25 calories! How amazing is that?!
The pumpkin dish described here, even after adding various other calorie-dense ingredients like Ghee and Coconut, is only 90 calories for a good-sized serving.
Want to try a few other pumpkin recipes I’ve posted? Perhaps you’d like to try some of these:
- Pumpkin Thalipith – a Maharashtrian delicacy – slightly sweet, a wholesome snack for any time of day
- Rye with Pumpkin – savory yeast bread with golden pumpkin in the dough
Cook with Fat – absorb fat-soluble nutrients
How to get your body to absorb all this good stuff? Add a little fat while cooking! Why? Some nutrients are water-soluble while others, like the carotenoids mentioned above, are fat-soluble. Your body easily absorbs the water-soluble nutrients, since they readily dissolve in the digestive juices. However, the fat-soluble ones remain trapped in the food and you might not absorb them properly. When you cook food with a little fat (Ghee, butter, oil), it extracts these nutrients: then your body absorbs them quite easily.
So, even if you’re trying to cut back on excessive fat intake, do consume at least a little bit. This way, you can be sure to derive the health-promoting benefits from the fat-soluble nutrients in your food. After all, if you do not absorb these nutrients, what’s the point of consuming well-balanced, nutrient-rich, “healthy” foods?
This pumpkin recipe, with a bit of Ghee, coconut and poppy seeds, does a great job in this respect. The Ghee and the oil from the coconut quickly extract the fat-soluble carotenoids, Vitamin E and other phytonutrients from pumpkin.
Special Diets
This simple pumpkin dish, with the distinctive flavors of roasted coconut and poppy seeds, is vegetarian, gluten-free, and soy-free. Since it has no onion or garlic, you can also include it in a Pooja-Prasad Thali. To make it vegan, simply replace the Ghee with coconut oil or peanut oil.
If you prefer, you might also replace the Ghee with a different, mild-flavored oil (canola, sunflower, safflower, avocado, grape-seed, etc.). I do not recommend using olive oil to make this dish – I think the strong and distinctive flavor of olive oil does clash a bit with the other flavors.
I must admit, making this dish fully nut-free will be somewhat challenging – not really easy to substitute coconut. One workable suggestion: replace the coconut powder with crushed/powdered pumpkin seeds: it will taste different, naturally, but will still be really delicious!
As mentioned earlier, to enjoy this dish on Upvas/Vrat days, just don’t add some of the optional ingredients, such as Hing, turmeric, fenugreek seeds and sesame seeds.
I hope you make this easy and delicious pumpkin dish to enjoy with family and friends, whether on a busy weeknight, on an Upvas day, or as part of an elaborate feast.
Do leave a review and star rating – much appreciated!
Enjoy!
Pumpkin with Coconut and Poppy seeds – Simple and Tasty
Equipment
- Microwave oven preferred For softening the pumpkin prior to peeling and dicing; if not available, that's fine
- 1 Heavy bottom medium saucepan (2 quart / 2L) Stainless steel or non-stick coated
Ingredients
- 400 g Pumpkin – peeled and diced medium – 1/2 inch / 1 1/2 cm cubes about 3 heaped cups; alas called Kaddoo, Kaddu; Bhoplaa, Kumro, Kumra, etc.; if pumpkin is not available, use butternut squash or similar "sweet" squash
- 2 tsp Ghee For vegan option, use coconut oil or peanut oil; for nut-free and vegan option, use any nut-free mild flavored oil
- 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 whole Fresh green chilli – cut into 3-4 pieces adjust as per spiciness preferred; if not available, use one dried red chilli – break into 2-3 pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp Poppy seeds – white preferred also called KhusKhus; if not available, use black poppy seeds or omit
- 3 tbsp Dried coconut powder For nut-free option, omit coconut and increase poppy seeds to 2 tsp if you wish; or use 2 tbsp crushed pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup Water
- 3/8 tsp Salt adjust as per taste preference (use up to 1/2 tsp)
- 2 tsp Sugar adjust as per taste preference
Optional – Add any or all of the following ingredients as per instructions
- 1/8 tsp Fenugreek Seeds – Omit for Upvas style Sabji add more if you wish – up to 1/4 tsp
- 1/8 tsp Hing – Omit for Upvas style Sabji
- 1/8 tsp Turmeric – Omit for Upvas style Sabji
- 2 tsp Sesame seeds – brown seeds (with husk) preferred; Omit for Upvas style Sabji if not available, white seeds (without husk) OK
- 1/2 tsp Fresh Ginger – finely chopped – optional if using, I recommend decreasing amount of green chilli, otherwise it may become super-spicy
- 2 tbsp Crushed Roasted peanuts or Almond flour; for nut-free version, use roasted crushed pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Tamarind paste adjust as per taste preferences
Garnish
- 1/4 cup Fresh Coriander leaves (Cilantro) – chopped
Instructions
- Microwave medium-large chunks of pumpkin on a paper towel : 2 min on Hi(This softens the flesh a little, making it much easier to peel and dice)Cool for a few min, then peel and dice into medium bite-sized pieces ; 1/2 inch / 1 1/2 cm cubes
- Heat a medium saucepan (2 quart / 2 L pan); add cumin seeds
- Add 1 tsp Ghee (or oil) and chopped green chillies;Also: add Fenugreek seeds, Hing and Turmeric, if using
- Add poppy seeds and fry for 1 minuteAlso: add sesame seeds, if using
- Lightly browned Poppy seeds
- If using whole dried coconut, shred it first, then pulse-grind a few times to a coarse powder.(If using pumpkin seeds- pulse grind to a coarse powder)
- Turn heat to lowest setting; add dried coconut powder to the Tadka.(OR: add crushed pumpkin seeds if replacing coconut for nut-free option.)
- Stir-fry continuously for about a minute, until coconut is toasted and light golden-brownNote: Be very alert while roasting coconut, or it will quickly burn to a dark and bitter mess, which is simply not salvageable – you will just have to toss it out and start over!
- Add diced pumpkin to the prepared spice mixture. Also add ginger, if using.
- Toss to coat all pieces with the spice mixture.
- Add 1/4 cup water, stir, cover and cook: 1 min on Hi, then 8-10 min on low-medium heat. Stir after 4-5 min, splash a little water (1-2 tbsp), cover and continue to cook for another 4-5 min until pumpkin is fork-tender but not mushy – it should still hold its structure. (Pierce a pumpkin piece with a fork to check whether it is tender)
- Add salt, sugar, crushed roasted peanuts (if using) and tamarind (if using). Stir, cover and cook 2-3 min to allow flavors to blend. Add a few splashes of water if it looks too dry.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with fresh Chapati/Roti, Phulka, along with Tomato-Onion Koshimbir (Pico de Gallo), a spicy pickle and Yogurt.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Storing Leftovers:
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers in a lidded container, preferably glass/ceramic.- Consume within 1-2 days
- Reheat in microwave or stove-top until steaming hot
- Good for 3-4 weeks, possibly longer
- Thaw to room temp by setting out on the counter for 10-15 min, or longer (up to 1 hour), or in the microwave, on defrost setting (30% power)
- Reheat in microwave or stove-top until steaming hot.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) before serving
tried it, n turned out to be very tasty
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.