Coconut-Smothered Pigeon Peas with Pumpkin – a delicious recipe with yellow pigeon peas, tamarind pulp, Sambhar Masala, cauliflower, fresh pumpkin, Notes. Easy to follow and perfect for any occasion.
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Place the pigeon peas in a small saucepan.
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Fill the pan halfway with water and rinse the peas by rubbing them between your fingertips.
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The water will become cloudy.
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Drain this water.
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Repeat three or four times, until the water remains relatively clear; drain.
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Now add 2 cups water and bring it to a boil, uncovered, over medium-high heat.
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Skim off and discard any foam that forms on the surface.
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Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender, about 20 minutes.
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While the pigeon peas are cooking, pour 4 cups water into a medium-size saucepan.
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If you are using the ball of tamarind, add it to the water and allow it to soften, 15 to 20 minutes.
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Then, using your fingers, break it apart and coax the pulp to leach and dissolve into the water as you massage the pieces.
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Once the water is light chocolate-brown and tastes tart, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer to separate out the pulp and any fibers; discard the pulp and fibers.
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Reserve the tamarind-infused water.
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If you are using tamarind paste, simply whisk it into the water to dissolve it.
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Sprinkle the Sambhar masala and asafetida over the tamarind water.
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Add the cauliflower, pumpkin, drumsticks, and curry leaves.
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Heat to a boil.
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Then reduce the heat to medium and simmer the thin brothlike curry, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
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When the pigeon peas are tender, set the saucepan aside.
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Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
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Add the cashews, coriander seeds, and chiles, and stir-fry until the nuts and seeds turn reddish brown and the chiles blacken, 1 to 2 minutes.
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Scrape the skillets contents into a blender jar, and add 1/2 cup water and the coconut.
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Puree, scraping the inside of the jar as needed, to form a slightly gritty paste.
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Add this paste to the pumpkin mixture.
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Pour 1/2 cup water into the blender jar, swish it around to wash the jar out, and add this to the pumpkin mixture.
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Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat.
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Add the mustard seeds, cover the skillet, and cook until the seeds have stopped popping (not unlike popcorn), about 30 seconds.
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Add this spiced oil to the pumpkin mixture.
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Transfer the cooked pigeon peas, with their cooking water, to a blender and puree, scraping the inside of the jar as needed, until smooth.
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(If you have an immersion blender, you can puree the peas and water right in the saucepan.)
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Pour this thin, creamy-yellow broth into the pumpkin mixture, and add the salt.
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Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat.
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Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the flavors blend, about 5 minutes.
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Then serve.
No nutrition data on file — estimate from the ingredient list.
* Estimated from ingredient keywords · ingredients matched · Values are approximate and per serving (÷ 4).
No additional tips available.
No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.
You need 1 ingredient. The key ingredients include: ["1/2 cup oily or unoily skinned split yellow pigeon peas (toovar dal), picked over for stones", "1 walnut-size ball dried tamarind pulp, or 1 teaspoon tamarind paste or concentrate", "2 teaspoons Sambhar Masala 1/2 teaspoon ground asafetida", "1 cup cut-up cauliflower (2-inch florets)", "4 ounces fresh pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes", "10 to 12 pieces frozen ""drumsticks"" (each 3 to 4 inches long; no need to thaw; see Notes)", "15 to 20 medium-size to large fresh curry leaves", "2 tablespoons unrefined sesame oil or canola oil", "1/4 cup raw cashew nuts", "1 tablespoon coriander seeds", "4 dried red Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed", "1 cup shredded fresh coconut; or 1/2 cup shredded dried unsweetened coconut, reconstituted (see Note)", "1 teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds", "1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt"].
Yes, Coconut-Smothered Pigeon Peas with Pumpkin falls under the General category and is a great choice for this type of meal.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently before serving.