Recipe for 'Bhandara'-Style Pumpkin Curry (Kaddu Ki Sabzi): The pumpkin curry served alongside *puri* at community feasts (*bhandaras*) has a unique, delightful flavor. Its subtle sweet-and-sour taste, combined with the aroma of spices, makes it so delicious that you’ll find yourself reaching for yet another *puri*. The best part is that this dish requires no onion or garlic. If you love this style of pumpkin curry, you can easily recreate it at home. It tastes even better when served with piping-hot *puris*. Let’s look at the simple recipe.

To prepare this dish, you will need: 500g pumpkin, 2 tomatoes, 2 green chilies, a 1-inch piece of ginger, 2 tablespoons of *desi* ghee (clarified butter) or oil, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon fennel (*saunf*) powder, a pinch of asafoetida (*hing*), 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon *garam masala*, 1 teaspoon jaggery or sugar, salt to taste, and some fresh coriander leaves.

Preparing the Pumpkin:
Start by washing the pumpkin thoroughly. Peel it, then cut it into small pieces. Keep the pieces relatively small so that the pumpkin cooks easily. Also, chop the tomatoes, green chilies, and ginger.

Preparing the Masala Base:
Place a pan or *kadhai* on the stove and heat the *desi* ghee or oil. Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Once the cumin seeds begin to crackle, add the chopped ginger and green chilies, and sauté briefly. Next, add the tomatoes and cook for 2–3 minutes. Once the tomatoes have softened, stir in the turmeric powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, and salt, mixing everything well.

Cooking the Pumpkin for that Authentic 'Bhandara' Flavor:
Once the masala base is ready, add the pumpkin pieces to the pan and mix thoroughly so that the spices coat the pumpkin evenly. Now, cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir the vegetable occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Once the pumpkin becomes soft, lightly mash it using a ladle; this will help thicken the dish. Add a spoonful of jaggery or sugar and mix well—this will give the dish a pleasant sweet-and-sour flavor. Finally, add some garam masala and let it cook for another 2 minutes. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and turn off the heat.

Serve the piping hot pumpkin dish with pooris.
Following this method, you can prepare the delicious pumpkin dish often served at *bhandaras* (community feasts). It pairs perfectly with hot pooris and dry black chickpeas (*kale chane*). Since this recipe does not use onion or garlic, it is suitable for those who prefer *sattvic* (pure/vegetarian) food. Whether you are hosting a *puja* at home or simply craving something special, you can easily prepare this pumpkin dish using this simple method.

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