Kumror Chokka – a Bengali vegetarian dish made with sweet pumpkin, potatoes and black chickpeas is absolutely delicious! This Bengali pumpkin curry is a vegetarian side dish that pairs well with Luchis or Rotis.
Goodness of Kumro:
Pumpkin is a nutritious vegetable that is low in calories but super-rich in vitamins and minerals. Pumpkin is a good source of beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that gives orange fruits and vegetables their vibrant color. The orange vegetable helps in regulating blood-pressure, reducing the risk of cancer, controlling diabetes and supporting eye health.
There are a number of ways to incorporate the versatile pumpkin into soups, salads, desserts, preserves and so on.
Bengali Kumror Chokka Recipe:
Kumror Chakka is a dry pumpkin curry traditionally made in Bengali households. This pumpkin recipe is a subtly flavoured and mildly spiced dish that’s absolutely delightful to savour.
- To make this Kumro Tarkari, firstly soak the Kala Chana overnight. Next morning, drain the water, wash the brown chickpeas 2-3 times. Take the kala chana in a pressure cooker, add sufficient water and cook on high till soft (about 8 to 10 whistles).
- Meanwhile peel and chop the pumpkin and potatoes into cubes
- Heat oil in a pan and temper with Paanch Phoron and broken dry red chillies.
- Then add a pinch of asafoetida and grated ginger. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Next toss in the diced potatoes. Sprinkle turmeric and roasted cumin powder and mix well. Fry the potatoes till they turn a light brown and all the masalas are well mixed.
- Now add the pumpkin cubes and Kala Chana. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Season with salt and a dash of sugar.
- Mix well, sprinkle a little water and cook covered till the potatoes and pumpkin cubes are done. Don’t cook the pumpkin for long as it will get mushy.
- Finally sprinkle some garam masala powder on top. Drizzle ½ tbsp of ghee and remove.
Serve Kumror Chokka hot with Roti or Luchi
If you are searching for more pumpkin recipes, then do try out Til Kumro
Alu Pumpkin Curry Bengali Recipe details below:
Kumror Chokka
Ingredients
- Pumpkin – 2 cups, cubed
- Potatoes – 2 medium, cubed
- Black Chickpeas – 1/3 rd cup
- Dry Red Chilli – 2
- Paanch Phoron – ¾ tsp
- Ginger – ½ inch, grated
- Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
- Roasted Cumin Powder – ½ tsp
- Asafoetida – a pinch
- Garam Masala Powder – ¼ tsp
- Sugar – 1 tsp
- Ghee – ½ tbsp
- Oil – 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain the water, wash thoroughly and pressure cook till soft.
- Wash and peel the pumpkin and cut into cubes. Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into cubes.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add paanch phoron and broken red chillies. Saute for ½ minute. Add grated ginger and asafoetida. Fry for 1-2 minutes till the raw smell disappears.
- Tip in the cubed potatoes. Add turmeric and cumin powder. Sauté for 3-4 minutes on medium heat till they get a little colour on them.
- Add the cubed pumpkin and chickpeas (the pumpkin cooks quickly so it’s advisable to add them slightly later than the potatoes. Mix well. Add salt and sugar.
- Combine well. Add a little water and cook covered till the potatoes and pumpkin pieces turn soft. Add a little garam masala on top.
- Drizzle some ghee on top and serve delicious Kumror Chokka with soft, fluffy Luchis.
Notes
* You can top the dish with roasted and ground paanch phoron powder
* You can skip the Paanch Phoron and use Onion seeds (Kalonji) instead.
* Another variation of this dish is to use Pointed Gourd (Potol/Parval) and roasted and coarsely ground peanuts.
* You can also garnish the dish with grated coconut
* This dish is usually made with mustard oil.
It was nice and simple to cook. I will have made it with cholar dal.