Fun with pumpkin!

P pumpkin is a nutrient-dense vegetable that is low in calories. Consuming one cup of cooked pumpkin would provide well over 100 per cent of your daily needs for Vitamin A, 20 per cent of the daily value of Vitamin C, 10 per cent or more of Vitamin E, potassium, copper and manganese, and at least five per cent of  iron, magnesium and phosphorous. Here are some healthy and mouthwatering recipes you can try:

Pumpkin phirni

Ingredients: 2 cups grated pumpkin, 8-10 soaked cashew nuts, 1 litre milk, ½ to ¾ cup powdered sugar, ½ tsp cardamom powder

Method: Steam cook grated pumpkin. Let it cool. Grind with cashew nuts to a fine paste. Put milk in a heavy-bottomed pan, bring to a boil. Take off from fire. Add powdered sugar, grounded paste, cardamom and a pinch of salt. Mix it well. Garnish with fried dry fruits. Serve hot or chilled.

Pumpkin paratha

Ingredients: 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup boiled and mashed pumpkin, ½ cup boiled and mashed potatoes, 1-2 tsp roasted besan, 2 tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp garam masala, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp amchur powder, 1 tsp ajwain, salt to taste

Method: Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Knead the dough using water and 2 tsp of oil. Leave it for half an hour. Make parathas using ghee or oil. This healthy paratha goes well with curd and pickle.

Pumpkin halwa

Ingredients: 3 cups pumpkin (grated), 10 soaked cashew nuts, 1 tbsp khoya, 2 tbsp milk powder, 1 cup sugar, 3 tbsp ghee, ½ tsp cardamom powder, pinch of saffron, chopped dry fruits.

Method: Heat ghee in a heavy- bottomed pan. Put the grated pumpkin and cook on a low flame. Add sugar and cook till ghee separates from it. Put khoya, milk powder, cardamom and saffron.Cook for some more time. Garnish with dry fruits.

Pumpkin holige

Ingredients: 2 cups pumpkin (grated ), 2 cups jaggery, ½ cup milk powder, 1 cup besan, 1 cup whole wheat flour For the dough: 1 cup maida, 1-2 tsp ghee, a pinch of salt

Method: For the dough, mix all the ingredients using milk or water. Form a soft dough. Rest it for a while. Again knead well. Put a little ghee in a kadai. Fry the grated pumpkin and add jaggery. Fry for a while.Take it off the stove. Add milk powder and fried besan. ( Fry besan in 2 tsp ghee) Make medium-sized balls. Prepare holige using ghee or oil. Serve with ghee.

Pumpkin bhaji
Ingredients: ¼ kilo pumpkin, 1 cup besan, ½ tsp ajwain, 2 green chillies ½ tsp asafoetida, ½ tsp red chilli powder, 1 tbsp rice flour, a pinch of baking soda, salt to taste

Method: Cut the pumpkin into slices. Mix all the ingredients, make a thick batter. Dip the pumpkin pieces and fry in oil till golden brown. Serve hot with ketchup.

Pumpkin steamed cake

Ingredients: 2 cups pumpkin , 1 cup rice rava, 1 cup jaggery, 1 cup coconut (grated), 1 tbsp butter, ½ tsp cardamom powder, 1-2 tbsp cashew nuts

Method: Mix all the ingredients. Leave them for 15 minutes so that rava soaks well. You can add milk if necessary. Apply ghee to a vessel and pour the batter. Steam cook for 15 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve with ghee or butter.