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:
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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
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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.