Sihi Kumbalakai Palya | Sweet Pumpkin Stir fry recipe - EverythingTraditional

Sihi Kumbalakai Palya | Sweet Pumpkin Stir fry | How to make simple Pumpkin side dish - EverythingTraditional

Traditional simple Sihi kumbalakai palya / Sweet pumpkin stir fry is side dish must-to-be-made on Pongal or Sankranti. Easy-to-make side dish just that takes about 5 minutes to cook is also a healthy side dish that compliments any rice items and chapati / roti. 

Sankranti being celebrated as harvesting festival, cooking harvested vegetable on this day is the culture in India. Sweet pumpkin, sweet potatoes, ground nuts, hyacinth beans, jaggery (sugar cane) are harvested and hence cooked on this day. 

In South India on Sankranthi festival Sihi kubalakai palya along with hithikidabele saaru, masala vade and sihi pongal / sweet pongal are served on plate. Sihi kumbalakai palya must be eaten on this day / season without skipping.

Even on any other day Sweet pumpkin stir fry is preferred to be made with sambar rice or roti. Very few ingredients are used in this. Only green chillies and jaggery are main ingredient other than mustard, urad and channa for seasoning.  

Sihi Kumbalakai Palya | Sweet Pumpkin Stir fry - EverythingTraditional Cuisine: Indian / South Indian Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients for Sihi kumbalakai palya Sweet Pumpkin - 1/4 Kg Green Chillies - 4 Coconut grated - 2 teaspoons Coriander leaves finely chopped - 1 teaspoon Jaggery - 2 teaspoons Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon For Tempering Oil - 1 teaspoon Mustard - 1/4 teaspoon Urad dal - 1/4 teaspoon Chana dal - 1/4 teaspoon

Instructions   Heat a pan with one teaspoon oil add mustard, urad , chana dal and green chillies chopped Saute until dal start to change color, then add in finely chopped sweet pumpkin Add salt and less than 1/4 cup water, just required to cook pumpkin (pumpkin gets cooked sooner, so add just little water and go on to add later if needed)   Once pumpkin is cooked add jaggery and stir well   At the end add grated coconut and coriander leaves and switch off the heat  Sweet Pumpkin stir fry is ready to be served

Note:

1. Adjust green chillies and jaggery as per one's taste
2. Over cooked pumpkins taste better than just rightly cooked. 
3. Just takes about 3 to 5 minutes to cook sweet pumpkin, don't leave for long, keep checking every two minutes

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How to make  Sihi Kumbalakai Palya | Sweet Pumpkin Stir fry with Step-by-step pictures

1. Heat a pan with one teaspoon oil add mustard, urad , chana dal and green chillies chopped 

2. Saute until dal start to change color, then add in finely chopped sweet pumpkin

 3. Saute for few minutes 

4. Add salt and less than 1/4 cup water, just required to cook pumpkin (pumpkin gets cooked sooner, so add just little water and go on to add later if needed)

5. Once pumpkin is cooked add jaggery and give a good stir 

6. At the end add grated coconut and coriander leaves and switch off the heat

7. Sweet Pumpkin stir fry is ready to be served

FAQ's 

Why is Jaggery added to Sweet Pumpkin Stir fry?

Though sweet pumpkin is mild sweet veggie, jaggery added to stir fry gives extra taste to the dish

How much time is needed to cook Sweet pumpkin?

Sweet pumpkin gets cooked in just 5 minutes