Gummadikaya pulusu is a delicious spicy, tangy & slightly sweet stew made with pumpkin. Gummadikaya is the Telugu name for pumpkin. Pulusu is a Telugu term that refers to a simple spicy, sweet & sour stew. Gummadikaya pulusu is a traditional dish from Andhra cuisine.
It is usually eaten with rice, ghee & fryums (vadiyalu). It can also be eaten with roti, chapathi, ragi rotti or jowar roti.
Pulusu can be made with most vegetables like potato, drumstick, pumpkin, ladyfinger, yam, bottle gourd and ridge gourd.
Here are some pulusu recipes on the blog
bendakaya pulusu
kanda gadda pulusu
egg pulusu
sorakaya pulusu
It is a basic and simple dish that is just made with pantry staples. Ingredients like garam masala, garlic and ginger are not used.
Some folks use rice flour, methi powder or coriander powder to make the pulusu slightly thick. I have shared the method I follow to make gummadikaya pulusu. You can tweak the recipe to suit your taste.
I have just used a single veggie here. But drumstick goes very well in this pulusu.
Pumpkin is often used in Indian cuisine to make curry, stir fry, halwa & kheer. You can also check these related pumpkin recipes.
Pumpkin kootu
Pumpkin halwa
Kaddu ki sabzi
pumpkin kheer
How to make gummadikaya pulusu
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard, cumin and methi seeds. When they splutter add curry leaves and green chili .
2. Add onions and sprinkle salt. Fry stirring often until they turn pink.
3. Add the cubed pumpkin and fry for 2 mins. Then sprinkle chilli powder and fry for another 2 mins.
4.Add tamarind water and jaggery. Fry and simmer for 3 to 4 mins.
5. Pour water just enough to cover the pieces. You can also add coriander powder.
6.Cover and cook until the pumpkin is fork tender. Adjust more salt, tamarind and jaggery if needed.
You can also add some finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve gummadikaya pulusu with rice or chapati and ghee.
Related Recipes
Recipe card
Gummadikaya pulusu | Pumpkin pulusu
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 2 to 2½ cups pumpkin (Diced to 1½ inch)
- 1 green chili slit
- ½ to ¾ cup onions chopped (about 1 medium)
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch fenugreek seeds
- 1 to 2 tablespoons tamarind (adjust as needed)
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (optional)
- 1 to 2 tablespoon jaggery
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsps coriander leaves with stalks chopped finely
- 2 tbsp Oil
Instructions
- Rinse and soak tamarind in warm water. Squeeze and filter the thick juice.
- Heat oil in a deep pot. Add cumin, mustard and methi. When they begin to splutter, add curry leaves and green chili. Sauté for a min.
- Add onions and sprinkle salt. Fry till they turn slightly pink, needs no browning of onions.
- Next add the pumpkin pieces, fry on high flame for 2 to 3 mins.
- Add red chili powder, turmeric and fry for a min.
- Next add jaggery and pour the tamarind juice. Mix, cover and cook on a low flame for 3 to 4 mins. This helps the pumpkin pieces to absorb the flavors.
- Add enough water to cover the pumpkin pieces , add coriander powder.
- Cover and cook till pumpkin is fully done. Cooking on a very low flame makes the pulusu tasty.
- Off the heat and add coriander. Keep gummadikaya pulusu covered until served so it absorbs the flavors. Serve with hot rice and ghee.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Looks Delicious..All time favorite of telugu people..
Hi namaste.I am a follower of your recipes. But commenting for the first time. All your recipes are easy to make & tastes great. Today i did pumpkin pulusu.It came out so well.Thank you & keep posting all cuisines.
Namste Shantiprasad,
You are most welcome! Glad to know you! Sure will keep posting. Sorry for the late reply. Kids’ school holidays kept me busy so couldn’t reply. Thank you so much!
Looks yummy!!! Want to know if we could use orange pumpkin that we get here in america to make curries.. also which color pumpkin did u use.. Never made pumpkin receipes,, pls reply…
Hi Sandhya
Please check this link to see the pumpkin I have used. It is the same golden pumpkin we use in India for pooja. Pumpkin tastes so good in pulusu, stir fry and even in dal. You can also just grill and then toss in tbsp hot oil and little chili powder.
🙂
Looks perfect and yum ..
delicious!!
Looks inviting,perfect with rice.
That's an yum curry recipe….
Gummadikaya pulusu looks delicious.
Inviting pulusu, never cooked pumpkin this way;
Yummy and looks fabulous dear. Will try it.<br /><br />
Sounds healthy and yummy…nice dish.
That's fantastic!!! Simple and tasty! kind regards!!
Curry looks delicious.
Looks very good Swasthi
looks healthy and delicious..
i love pumpkin with this preparation…looks so delicious…
Flavorful pulusu
luks delicious 🙂