Sri Lankan Style Pumpkin and Spinach Stir-Fry

Well, in Sri Lanka we don’t cook pumpkin and spinach together. At least I don’t have idea of such combination with spinach.But I cooked this Pumpkin and Spinach Stir-Fry  and really love the taste!

With my experience, I know spinach is better with dhal or potato as a curry. But, few days ago I tried this pumpkin and spinach stir-fry. It really came out well. As this combination gave me a spicy and appealing stir-fry which goes well with plain rice, I think you would love to try this too.

Cooking this stir fry is really simple. For easy cooking, first cook the pumpkin. Then do the stir-fry!

If you like pumpkin recipes, below are some other ways you can cook it in a curry.

Check Wattakka Kalu pol recipe

Check pumpkin curry with coconut milk recipe

Recipe : Pumpkin and Spinach stir-fry 

Ingredients (for 2-3 servings)

1 bunch of Spinach

250 g pumpkin

2 garlic cloves

1 onion

2-3 dried red chili

½ tspn mustard seeds

1 tbspn chili flakes

¼ tspn turmeric powder

½ tspn raw curry powder

Salt as per taste

1 tbspn cooking oil

1 sprig of curry leaves

1 inch piece of rampe/pandan leaf (optional)

 

Method

Step 1:

First remove the seeds of pumpkin. wash and cut into bite size cubes.

Add water into a pot together with 1 tspn chili,1 tspn raw curry powder, pinch of turmeric powder and a pinch os salt. Add pumpkin cubes and boil it.

Step 2:

Till the pumpkin cubes are cooking,

Wash spinach carefully. Remove yellow leaves and also the old stems if any.

Cut it coarsely into long pieces and set aside to drain excess water.

Slice onion, chop garlic and keep aside.

Step 3:

Once pumpkin cubes are well cooked, drain water. It is time to cook.

Heat 1-2 tbspn cooking oil in a pan. When it is hot, add mustard seeds.

Once mustard seeds start to pop out, add garlic and onion.

Stir and fry till onions and garlic are tender. Wait till it starts emitting aroma.

At this stage, add rampe, curry leaves, dry red chili and mix well.

Stir the mix till it is tempered well.

Add chili flakes, curry powder and turmeric powder to this paste. Now add spinach and stir fry till it half cooked. Once spinach is half cooked, add boiled pumpkin cubes. Mix well.

Adjust salt as per taste.

Serve with plain rice. Pumpkin and spinach stir-fry is ready to serve!

Enjoy!