Kadoo ki sabji is a spicy pumpkin vegetable made across north India. Even though the pumpkin is such a humble vegetable, it absorbs the taste of the spices well and somehow this recipe is elevated to party level menu.

Ever since my childhood, I’ve looked forward to the festival of Navratri. As a child I was not aware of the significance of the festival. It was the delicious food prepared by my mother during the festival that was the main appeal. Till date I don’t know why its called fasting. Most dishes are deep fried. Other dishes which include fruit, sabudana and vegetables are tasteful and full of flavour. The dishes I prepare today are mostly what my mother cooks. A few dishes I have learnt from neighbours and the extended family.

In my family we eat the ‘falhar’ or fasting food for the first seven days. On ‘Ahstmi’ or the eighth day, we do the pooja and have Sooji Halwa, Kale Chane and Puris for ‘parsad’.

Kadoo or Pumpkin is a cultivar of the squash plant that is round, with smooth, slightly ribbed skin and deep yellow to orange coloration. The thick shell contains the seeds and pulp. It is one of the most popular field crops cultivated around the world for its fruit and seeds.

Kadoo or pumpkin is incredibly rich in vital antioxidants, and vitamins. It is one of the best-known sources of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant known to give orange vegetables and fruits their vibrant colour and which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Consuming foods rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer, offer protection against asthma and heart disease and delay aging and body degeneration.

Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking. Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers. ~ Wikipedia

This recipe of the kaddoo ki sabji has memories from my childhood. On Sunday mornings, the family would visit the local eatery where hot fried pooris were served with a spicy potato stew and this delicious pumpkin, cooked with a number of spices, giving it a sweet, spicy and tart flavour.

It is still cooked the same way even today in my house. Depending on the variety of the pumpkin, the hard skin is either left on or removed. The large ripe yellow/orange pumpkin has a hard skin, so it is removed, and the skin of the smaller green pumpkin being soft is left on while cooking. The skin though helps to keep the pumpkin pieces whole and its removal sort of lets the pumpkin mush a bit. I like it to be firm, so leave the skin on if possible.

The simple tempering with the asafoetida, chillies and fenugreek seeds gives it a beautiful fragrance, while the turmeric adds a glorious golden colour. The sugar and dried mango powder impart a sweet and sour flavour to the vegetable.

Kadoo ki Sabji

Spicy Pumpkin Vegetable

Ingredients ~

250 gms kadoo/pumpkin
1/4 tsp methi/fenugreek seeds
¼ tsp turmeric powder
2 dried red chilli
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp amchur/dried mango powder
A pinch of hing/asafoetida
1 tbsp oil

Method ~

1. Cut the kadoo into cubes.
2. In a wok heat the oil. Temper the methi seeds and the dried red chilli till they sputter.
3. Add the hing, stir and add the kadoo. Stir to mix. Sprinkle the salt, turmeric powder and cover to cook.
4. Once the kadoo is soft and almost cooked through, add the sugar and the amchur powder.
5. Once cooked, taste to adjust the seasoning. The taste should be a balance of sweet, sour and chilli.

~Serve hot with Kuttu & Singhara Roti, Samak ke Chawal, Sabudana Khichri

For more recipes of dishes cooked in my family during the Navratri festival, please read my post, Navratri Vrat Thali.

Most of the recipes are simple and quick to cook, yet are delicious.