Red Pumpkin Mangodi Curry

Doesn’t food acquire an exotic sheen when described in language alien to its roots? Mangodi sounds like something grandmas from my native place would add to curries simmering in earthen pots. Sundried lentil dumplings? That’s like stuff my hostel-residing cousins in Bangalore would cook on a rare Sunday, as they do pasta and bruschetta.

But there you have it. Mangodi = sundried lentil dumplings. Choose the name you like. Made of ground moong dal with a hint of salt and spices, mangodi globules are sun-dried for 2-3 days before they are ready to use in curries.

Packets of mangodi (also called moong vadis) are readily available in Indian grocery stores. If you can’t get your hands on them, try making them at home – follow this recipe. Mangodi can be stored in airtight jars for a couple of months.

This red pumpkin mangodi curry recipe combines mangodi with red pumpkin to go with a light Indian dinner. If you have a thing for putting a variety of color on the plate, this one should please you – an eye-catcher with its red and yellow and touches of green.

You Need:

• Red Pumpkin – 3 cups when cubed
• Mangodi – 1/2 cup
• Tomatoes – 2 medium
• Green chili – 1
• Salt – to taste
• Panch phoron (Bengali five spice mix)- 1 teaspoon
• Asafoetida – a pinch
• Mustard oil – 1 tablespoon

How To Make Red Pumpkin Mangodi Curry:

Peel red pumpkin, leaving skin on at some places (gives a nice texture and color to the finished dish). Cut it into 1.5cm cubes.

Chop green chili and tomatoes.

Heat mustard oil in a pan/kadhai. When smoking hot, set flame to low and add panch phoron. When the methi seeds in panch phoron turn brown, add asafoetida and after 10 seconds, half a cup of mangodi.

Fry mangodi till they turn a darker shade.

Add red pumpkin cubes, chopped tomatoes and chili, salt. Let the pumpkin cook in its own juices, with the pan covered with a close-fitting lid, for about 20 minutes or till the pumpkin is cooked. Stir occasionally in between, sprinkle some water when it feels too dry or starts to stick to the pan.

The dish is ready when the pumpkin cubes are soft enough to get mashed with the back of a spatula.

Serve hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

We had red pumpkin mangodi curry with chapatis, sesame bell pepper, methi chhole and carrot sticks.

Notes:

• Want to up the protein content in Indian vegetarian meals? Throw in a handful of mangodi into curries like aloo-tamatar. As with this recipe, add mangodi after tadka, before adding the other veggies.
• I like red pumpkin to be of mashable consistency but if you prefer the pieces to be intact reduce the cooking time.
• Don’t have panch phoron? Use cumin + mustard seeds instead.
• Don’t like/have mustard oil? Use any vegetable oil instead.