Pumpkin Curry (Gummidi Kayi Kura)

2 1 Butter nut squash, or one Acorn squash or ¼ piece of Kabocha squash (available in farmer’s market)
3 Cups water
1 Teaspoon salt
½ Teaspoon turmeric (haldi)

POPU (TADKA OR VAGAR)

3 Tablespoons oil 
1/2 Teaspoon red mustard seeds
3 Dried red chilies broken into pieces
1 Tablespoon chena dal
1 Tablespoon urad dal
½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
¼ Teaspoon hing (asafetida)
¼ Teaspoon turmeric
2 stems of curry leaves (karivepaku)
2 Green chilies cut in to 1- inch pieces
2 Tablespoons tamarind juice
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Teaspoon rice flour

Wash, peel, and cut squash. Scoop all the seeds and the soft fibers. Cut into 1- inch pieces. In a four- quart saucepan cook squash pieces with 3 cups water, salt, and turmeric for three minutes and drain. 
Wash the pan and return to the stove. Pour oil in to the pan. When the oil is hot add mustard seeds, dry chilies, chena dal, urad dal. Fry until dals become light brown. Add the cumin seeds, hing. curry leaves, green chilies. Fry for a minute. Add tamarind juice, brown sugar and squash pieces mix carefully for a couple of minutes without breaking the squash pieces. Sprinkle rice flour and stir for a minute. Transfer to a serving dish. 

Note: Pumpkin curry is a must in the traditional wedding banquets in India. 
Pumpkins are a variety of squashes and come in different sizes, shapes, and color. 


Stuffed Mushrooms

I12 Medium size mushrooms cleaned
1- Tablespoon butter
1/4 Cup chopped onion
1- Garlic clove chopped
1 Celery stick finely chopped (optional)
¼ Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ Teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons bread crumbs or stuffing mix
1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Remove stems from mushrooms and chop them fine.
Heat butter in 8-inch frying pan. Add onions, garlic, celery, and red pepper flakes. Fry for three minutes. Add chopped mushroom stems and fry for three more minutes or until moisture is evaporated. Remove pan from the heat and mix black pepper, breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Stuff the mixture in to mushroom caps. Place all the stuffed mushrooms in 9-inch square glass baking dish and cover them with plastic wrap and bake in microwave for four minutes and serve them hot as a side dish or a starter.

Happy Holidays!
   
 

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