Spicy pumpkin anyone? While I am still enjoying the left over pumpkin crumble from Thanksgiving, I could not help but notice that I still have few cans of pumpkin puree in my pantry. Still in holiday spirit, I wanted to cook a pumpkin dish but one that is not sweet. So I cooked it Indian style! Masala Pumpkin Peas – spicy pumpkin and peas main dish is surely a major transformation of the sweet pumpkin puree

You need:

1 can Pumpkin puree (I used Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin )
1 cup frozen peas
1 medium onion
1 large tomato
2 tsp garlic paste (or 3/4 garlic cloves,minced)
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tbsp Pao Bhaji masaala – I used MDH (or your favorite curry powder) – should be adjusted according to taste
1 tablespoon ghee/ or cooking oil (clarified butter)
1 pinch asafoetida powder (hing powder)
1 tbsp chopped cilantro/fresh coriander
salt to taste

Heat the ghee in a medium cooking pot on medium high flame. Add asafoetida powder, after few seconds add onions and garlic and ginger. Cook onions on medium heat until golden brown. Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are well cooked and the oil begins to separate. Add Pao Bhaji masala OR curry powder and cook for few seconds. Add peas and little bit water,cover the pot and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes – till the peas get tender. Add pumpkin puree and cook for few minutes. Adjust salt, seasoning (masala according to taste). Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with naan, roti (Indian flat breads) or warm tortillas.

Lemony twist: Add a little tang with little lemon juice

Where calories is not an issue: feel free to add any left over mashed potatoes along with the pumpkin puree. Adjust seasoning/pumpkin -potatoes ratio accordingly