Lal Bhopalyache Bharit (Red Pumpkin Salad)

Serves - 2

Ingredients:

Ø  Ripe pumpkin (Red) — 200g

Ø  Curd / Plain yogurt (well beaten) — 300g

Ø  Green chillies (slit vertically) —  1 or 2

Ø  Curry leaves — Few

Ø  Mustard seeds — ½ tsp

Ø  Roasted peanuts (crushed) — 1 tbsp

Ø  Asafoetida (Hing) — 2 pinches

Ø  Cumin seeds — ½ tsp

Ø  Oil — 2 tsp

Ø  Sugar to taste

Ø  Salt to taste

Ø  Coriander (cilantro) to garnish

Method:

1.    Grate pumpkin after peeling and washing. Cook it in ¼ cup of water with a pinch of salt for 5-7 min. Do not drain the water. Let it cool.

2.    Whisk curd along with sugar. Add cooled, grated pumpkin and crushed peanuts to it.

3.    Heat oil in a small pan. Add slit green chillies, mustard seeds, asafoetida, cumin and curry leaves. Let it sputter.

4.    Pour it over curd mixture, adjust seasoning, serve garnished with coriander leaves.

What does it give you?

ü  Consuming a serving of pumpkin raita fulfils more than 50% of your daily vitamin A need. Vitamin A is essential for our normal vision and tissue integrity. Unfortunately Vitamin A deficiency is still a public health problem in India.

ü  It is also a very good source of calcium. One serving of raita satisfies 1/3 of your daily calcium requirement. Curd also provides an acidic medium which increases the bioavailability of calcium.

Nutrition information:

One serving = One cup

Energy (kcal)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)	Fat (g)	Dietary Fiber (g)	Calcium(mg)
205	13.6	8.4	13.4	1.1	203