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Bhopla, or red pumpkin sabzi, is a very popular dish in Maharashtra that is highly valued for its sweetness and adaptability. It is a highly nutritious option for daily meals apart from being tasty. The red pumpkin is tempered with curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and green chillies after it becomes soft. It also has a creamy and savoury taste because of the grated coconut. This colourful vegetable is used in the raita (yoghurt side dish), bharta (mashed), bhaji (stir fry), and many other ways. It also goes very well with chapati, rice, or bhakri, a traditional millet-flour flatbread.
Selection Of The Right Pumpkin
Due to its sweet taste and soft texture, red pumpkin, or lal bhopla, is the right ingredient for this dish in Maharashtra. Choose pumpkins that are bright orange-red in colour, firm and heavy. There should be no soft areas or defects on the smooth skin. Wash the pumpkin well to get rid of any dirt before using it. Remove the skin by use of a sharp knife or vegetable peeler and cut it into little cubes. The size will ensure uniform cooking, and will help properly coat the pumpkin with spices.
Cooking Process
Start by heating oil in a wide pan or kadhai on medium heat. For this recipe, sunflower or vegetable oil works nicely. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle, before adding cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing), and turmeric powder. The tempering process releases essential oils giving the flavours and aroma from the spices a boost. Once tempering is complete, toss the diced pumpkin into the pan to coat it with the spices and oil. Put a lid on the pan to let the pumpkin cook by steaming in its moisture. To avoid sticking and to guarantee even cooking, stir from time to time. Cook the pumpkin for 10–15 minutes or until it is soft and still holds its shape and stir continuously.
Flavour Balance
When the pumpkin is cooked completely, add goda masala and red chilli powder Generally, Goda masala is a blend of dried coconut, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and other constituents that distinguish it from other Indian spice mixtures. At this point, add just a small amount of jaggery (or sugar) to further improve the dish. The jaggery’s sweetness complements pumpkin’s natural sweetness and also smoothly blends in with the spices. Remember that salt draws away moisture from veggies, so adjust the amount as per your preference. Once all the spices have been added, let everything cook for another five minutes to ensure the flavours blend well.
Serving Tips
The ideal way to enjoy this Bhopla is hot, with traditional sides like steamed rice or chapati. Before serving, try adding some freshly chopped coriander leaves or toasted sesame seeds to your bhaji to add more flavour and taste. This dish is healthy and beautifully highlights local flavours when combined with other Maharashtrian specialties like varan bhaat (dal with rice) or kadhi (curry made with yoghurt).
