Narkel kumri

This is a very common Bengali recipe with coconut and pumpkin and slightly on the sweeter side as all most all Bengali  recipes are. It is a veg dish without onions.
It is a simple dish but cutting the vegetable uniformly and grating the coconut is a tricky job.
My mother in law is the one who taught me and she maintains that the pumpkin pieces are cut really small, jhiri jhiri is the word used in Bengali but most others say its cubed pumpkin and potato they use.
I am straight away getting down to the recipe and cooking process.

Ingredients :

Red Pumpkin ( Misti Kumro)........................ 1/4 of a whole pumpkin
Potato (Alu)...................................................1(optional)
Bay Leaf (Tej Patta).......................................2
Dry Red Chilly(Sukno Lanka).........................2
Asafoetida (Hing)...........................................2 pinches
Cumin Seeds (Sada Jeere)..............................1/4 tsp
Coconut Grated(Narkel Kora)........................1/2 a coconut
Turmeric (Holud).............................................1/4 tsp
Salt & Sugar...................................................as per taste
Green Chilly (Kancha Lanka).........................2-.4,slit
Mustard Oil (Sorsher Tel)...............................2 tbsp

Grated Coconut

Ingredients : Red pumpkin & Coconut

Preparation :

Chop the Red Pumpkin into small pieces. In Bengali we say, "Jhiri jhiri Kore Kata" just like Alu Bhaja.

Sometimes I keep the pieces large too.
If you decide to add the potato,chop them into cubes as well.

Grate the coconut and keep aside.

Heat two table spoons of mustard oil in a wok and add the tempering...Bay leaf, Asafoetida, Red chilly and Cumin seeds.

Let them brown a bit and then add the potato pieces . Fry them and let them soften while you stir fry them.

Add Turmeric, salt and sugar and give it a mix.

Then add the pumpkin pieces. Also add the grated coconut and slit Green Chilly. Stir fry for a sec and then cover with a lid and leave to cook on low heat. Pumpkin pieces will let out water and the vegetables will soften in it.
Do not add any extra water.

When the pumpkin and potatoes are soft  put  the flame off and serve.This dish is served with Paratha, Puri (Luchi) and chappati as well .

 If you are serving as breakfast to guests, then keep aside a table spoon of grated coconut and granish with it. 

Narkel Kumri

COMING UP ...........

Thorer Ghonto