Try This Sumptuous Pumpkin Rasam Recipe For Winter Season

If you’re Indian you must have heard of rasam. It is the brothy, spiced and herbal dish from South India, which makes for perfect comfort food. The tamarind and tomatoes give it the sourness and zest, and adding pumpkin to it makes it an excellent choice for winters. Try this pumpkin rasam recipe by Meera Sodha, a celebrity chef.

Preparation

• Prep time: 5 minutes

• Soak the split peas for 6 hours or more

• Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

• Servings: 4

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Ingredients:

• 1 pumpkin

• 200g split yellow peas

• Fine sea salt

• 1 tsp of black mustard seeds

• Neutral rapeseed oil

• 400g chopped tomatoes

• ¼ tsp of fenugreek seeds

• 2 tablespoon of tamarind paste

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

• ¼ tsp of ground coriander

• ¼ tsp of ground cumin

• ¼ tsp of ground black pepper

• 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

• ½ tsp of turmeric

• 2 slit green finger chillies

• Fresh coriander and basmati rice to serve

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Method:

• In a large bowl, add the split peas and wash it really well with water and then drain. Put the peas in fresh cold water and soak it for approximately six hours or more.

• Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius, and line it with two medium oven sheets and baking paper.

• Wash the pumpkin and cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and then cut the pumpkin into small wedges with 2cm at the widest part. Drizzle over one and a half tablespoon of oil, sprinkle a quarter-teaspoon of salt and then toss it with your hands so that the pumpkin is coated. Put the pumpkin on the trays and bake it for 25 minutes.

• Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large pot and add mustard and fenugreek seeds, and cook them for 30 seconds till they pop. Put the drained split yellow peas in the pot followed by a litre and a quarter of cold water. Pop a lid on top and slowly bring the dish to a boil on a low to medium heat.

• Leave the dish to simmer after turning down the heat. Stir it occasionally for 20 minutes and then add in the tomatoes, tamarind, coriander, cumin, black pepper, chilli powder, turmeric and a teaspoon and a quarter of salt. Let it simmer for another 20 minutes till the split peas are soft.

• Stir in two-thirds of the roasted pumpkin wedges (use the prettiest for decoration later). Simmer for another six to eight minutes. Then adjust the seasoning as per taste.

• Put two tablespoons of oil on a medium flame in another small pan, and when hot, put the garlic cloves and chillies to fry for two minutes, till the chillies are white and the garlic is bronzed at the sides.

• Pour the garlic and chilli mix into the rasam, and then put the rasam into individual bowls. Serve it with roast pumpkin wedges and coriander leaves, with some steamed basmati rice on the side.