Sweet pumpkin Idli Recipe

Sweet pumpkin has a special place in Halloween celebrations.  Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns is a popular Halloween tradition. Without sweet pumpkins and dishes prepared with sweet pumpkin, Halloween is not enjoyable. Bread, soup, pie – so many varieties of dishes are prepared using pumpkin. This Halloween try a special dish from India. This is similar to traditional idli with pumpkin as the main ingredient. In local language it is called “kadabu” – Sweet pumpkin Idli.

What is in sweet pumpkin that is nutritious?

Sweet pumpkins are low in calories, fat and sodium and are rich in dietary fiber. They provide good amount of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin E,  potassium, copper and iron.

Recipe for Pumpkin idli:

Ingredients:

1. Grated pumpkin – 2 cups
2. Finely chopped pumpkin – ½ cup
3. Coarse rice – ½ cup
4. Jaggery (powdered) – ½ cup
5. Coconut (grated) – ¼ cup
6. Coconut pieces – 2 Tbs
7. Salt – as per your taste (less is better)
8. Cardamom powder – little
9. Poppy seeds – 1 or 2 tsp
10. Water – 1 cup

Preparation:

• Dry roast coarse rice for few minutes or until it gives slight aroma
• Dissolve jaggery in little water and boil jaggery for few minutes.
• Add chopped and grated pumpkin, coconut grated and pieces, salt, poppy seeds, coarse rice and cardamom into jaggery water and mix well.
• Bring the above mix to idli dough consistency. Not too thin. Keep it aside for half an hour.
• Apply little oil on idli plates or idli cups.
• Pour the pumpkin mix into cups or plates and steam cook in a cooker for fifteen minutes.
• Turn of the heat and allow it to cool. Check whether idlis are cooked or not by inserting edge of knife inside idli. If it is cooked there wont be stickiness in the knife edge.
• Remove pumpkin idli using a spoon. Dip spoon in cold water and slowly remove idli one by one. If you are using idli plate, cut them to square shape using a knife.
• Serve pumpkin idli with coconut chutney and ghee.