kumbalakai palya recipe | pumpkin stir fry recipe | seasoned pumpkin recipe with step by step photo recipe. kumbalakai palya is one of the most popular stir fry / palya from udupi – mangalore region. kumbalakai is also called as kumblakai / ash gourd / winter melon in english.
there is a popular saying in kannada “kumbalakai kalla andre, hegalu mutti nodikonda“. which means, a thief who has stolen a pumpkin, will be afraid and double-check himself if he has left any clues (ash marks), when pumpkin is mentioned. pumpkin is used to prepare chutney, sambar and tambuli. i have already shared kumbalakai sambar. will soon share how to prepare tambuli from seeds and chutney from its skin.
ash gourd has many benefits and many names like white gourd, white pumpkin, boodina kumbalakai, winter melon, wax gourd, pooshnikai, safed kaddu, kumbalakai etc. it is believed that ash gourd is a fruit but always consumed as a vegetable, since it is cooked with spices to prepare sambar, stir fry and chutneys.
if you are looking for more palya recipe then check out aloo bhaji,  tindora cashew nut sabzi, bhindi fry, gulla palya, molake hesaru kaalu palya and suvarnagadde palya. you may also like beetroot saasmi, batani gasi, gulla bolu koddel and drumstick sambar.
kumbalakai palya recipe | seasoned pumpkin recipe | pumpkin stir fry recipe card:
kumbalakai palya recipe | pumpkin stir fry recipe | seasoned pumpkin
Ingredients
- ¼ medium sized kumbalakai / ash gourd / winter melon
- 1 green chilli
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup grated / desiccated / shredded coconut
- few coriander leaves, chopped
- salt to taste
for tempering:
- 3-4 tsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp channa dal
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chillies
- a pinch of asafoetida / hing
- few curry leaves
Instructions
- chop the kumbalakai / ash gourd / winter melon into small cubes separating seeds and skin. also finely chopped chilli and coriander leaves. keep it aside.
- in a large kadai, heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, channa dal, red chilli and hing.
- when it starts to splutter, add green chilies and curry leaves. saute for 30 sec.
- then add chopped kumbalakai (ash gourd or winter melon).
- also add turmeric powder and saute for a minute.
- now add ½ cup of water.
- season with some salt to taste.
- cover with the lid and cook for 5 minutes in low flame. stir in between so that kumblakai cooks uniformly.
- once they are cooked add fresh/desiccated/shredded coconut and give a good mix.
- finally add some coriander leaves and serve.
- serve kumbalakai palya with chapathi or steamed rice and sambar.
kumbalakai palya recipe | seasoned pumpkin recipe | pumpkin stir fry step by step photo recipe:
- chop the kumbalakai / ash gourd / winter melon into small cubes separating seeds and skin. also finely chopped chilli and coriander leaves. keep it aside.
- in a large kadai, heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, channa dal, red chilli and hing.
- Â when it starts to splutter, add green chilies and curry leaves. saute for 30 sec.
- then add chopped kumbalakai (ash gourd or winter melon).
- also add turmeric powder and saute for a minute.
- now add ½ cup of water.
- season with some salt to taste.
- cover with the lid and cook for 5 minutes in low flame. stir in between so that kumblakai cooks uniformly.
- once they are cooked add fresh/desiccated/shredded coconut and give a good mix.
- finally add some coriander leaves and serve.
- serve kumbalakai palya with chapathi or steamed rice and sambar.
notes:
- do not over cook kumblakai. make sure kumbalakais are soft, juicy and yet retain their shape.
- you can also add sambar powder for variation.
- kumbalakai doesn’t take much time to cook. so keep an eye over it.
- do not add more water as this is stir fry, it should be dry.