Kumror Chenchki/ Pumpkin Stir fry

Kumror Chenchki is a stir fry of kumro or pumpkin. It can be served as breakfast along with roti, or as vegetarian dish for lunch and dinner along with hot steamed rice. While I was a kid I used to hear this term “chenchki” often from my grandmother and wondered what it means. Later, after many years when I dived into my culinary journey I came to know that “Chenchki” is a slow-cooked stir fry of a vegetable with just tempered seeds and a bit of turmeric. Here, in kumror chenchki I have tempered with nigella seeds, asafoetida(hing) and dry red chilies. I have made this chenchki only with pumpkin but you can also add potatoes to it.

Course: Side dish

Cuisine: (Bengali) Indian

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Servings: 5

Ingredients

• 800g of kumro(pumpkin/butternut squash) peeled and cut into thin long slices
• 2 dry red chili
• 1 teaspoon of kalojeera or nigella seeds
• A pinch of hing or asafoetida/ hing
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 green chilies slit
• 2 tablespoon of oil
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of red chili powder(optional)
• 1 teaspoon of sugar

Directions

1. Take a kadai and add oil to the kadai and heat it.
2. Once the oil is hot, temper it with dry red chilies, nigella seeds and asafoetida.
3. Then, add the chopped kumro or pumpkin and saute them for 2 minutes.
4. Now, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, green chilies and salt and cook the kumro covered. Keep stirring continuously in between. Add water if it is necessary.
5. Cook till all of the vegetable is completely cooked but not mushy.
6. Add, the sugar and turn off the flame.
7. Serve the chenchki with hot steamed rice, roti or paratha.

Step by step instructions to prepare Kumror Chenchki

Take a kadai and add oil to the kadai and heat it. Once the oil is hot, temper it with dry red chilies, nigella seeds and asafoetida.

Then, add the chopped kumro or pumpkin and saute them for 2 minutes. Now, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, green chilies and salt and cook the kumro covered. Keep stirring continuously in between. Add water if it is necessary.

Cook till all of the vegetable is completely cooked but not mushy. Add, the sugar and turn off the flame.

Serve the chenchki with hot steamed rice, roti or paratha.

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