Looki Kalia
* Pumpkin Curry *
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This Bengali dish includes white poppy seed as an intriguing spice and gourds such as pumpkin and bottle gourd. The gourd family is thought to have originated in Bengal, although it is so ancient that wild species developed in the Americas before continental drift caused the tectonic plates to separate. Anything called squash is Native America such as butternut squash, snake squash, custard squash and spaghetti squash and the pumpkin and chayote (christophene). In the Old World, the gourd family includes cucumber, marrow (which originated in Persia) and grows to quite huge dimensions, averaging 30cm/12 inches), and a whole range of exotic gourds from India, including ribbed gourd (looki), bottle gourd (doodi), round gourd (papdi), drumstick (sajjar), bitter gourd (kerela) and snake gourd. The soft flesh is high in water content so requires minimal cooking and supplies relatively little nutrients.
SERVES
- 4 as an accompaniment
INGREDIENTS
- 450g (1lb) pumpkin or other gourds, weighed after step 1
- 100g (4oz) carrot, cut into equal-sized pieces
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 200ml (7 floz) tinned coconut milk
- 1 or 2 fresh red chillies, sliced
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh coriander
- salt, to taste
PASTE
- 2 or 3 cloves garlic
- 2.5cm (1 inch) piece of fresh root ginger
- 225g (8oz) onion, coarsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon white poppy seeds
- 25g (1oz) almond flakes, toasted
MASALA
- 1 teaspoon panch phoran
- 5cm (2 inch) piece of cassia bark
- 2 or 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
METHOD
- Cut open the pumpkin or gourds. Scoop out the stringy centre and seeds and discard. Cut away the flesh, then cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Steam, microwave or boil the pumpkin and/or gourds and carrot pieces separately until tender.
- Put the paste ingredients in a blender or food processor and 'pulse' using water as needed until it is smooth and pourable.
- Heat the ghee in a karahi or wok. Add the masala and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the paste and stir continuously for about 5 more minutes, using some of the coconut milk to keep the mixture loose.
- Add the remaining coconut milk, the chillies, tomato purée and ketchup and, when simmering mix in the cooked pumpkin or gourds and carrots, the garam masala and coriander. When hot, season with salt and serve.
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