This pumpkin raita is one delicious way to enjoy pumpkin! Made with tender, cooked shredded pumpkin, thick yogurt, and a handful of everyday Indian spices, it is lightly creamy, tangy, and wonderfully refreshing. The natural sweetness of pumpkin pairs beautifully with the yogurt, while hint of green chillies adds a lovely grassy flavor. Serve it chilled with your favoritelunch or dinner indian spread.
You might find it surprising, but I grew up eating a lot of savory pumpkin dishes rather than desserts. Pumpkin, or kaddu as we call it, is quite popular in North Indian cooking, and my mom made it in all sorts of ways. This delicious raita was always made with peela kaddu (yellow pumpkin), which is naturally sweeter than the green pumpkin I usually use for my kaddu sabzi.
Over the years, I have made a few changes to my family's original recipe. Instead of simply boiling shredded kaddu and folding it into yogurt along with a few spices, my version takes a slightly different approach, but the flavors are still very much inspired by the raita I grew up eating.
In my version, I do not boil the kaduu. I temper the shredded pumpkin before mixing it with yogurt. Pumpkin can taste quite bland when simply boiled, but cooking it this way makes such a difference!
As the pumpkin shreds slowly soften, they soak up all the wonderful flavor of aromatics.The ginger adds a lovely warmth, the green chillies bring a little heat, and the curry leaves make everything wonderfully fragrant.
Getting The Texture Just Right
Though this is a simple recipe, but still there are a few tips that I want to share with you.
- Don't shred the pumpkin too finely. Pumpkin softens rather quickly once it hits the heat, and finely shredded pumpkin can turn into mush within minutes. I use the thicker side of my box grater to get medium-sized shreds that hold their shape while cooking. You want the pumpkin to be tender but still have a little texture.
- Don't overcook the pumpkin. The shreds should be soft and tender but not falling apart. Also, allow any excess moisture to evaporate while cooking so it doesn't water down the raita later. Its better to cook the pumpkin in a pan or kadai than in a sauce pot because evaporation is quicker.
- Use thick yogurt. This raita tastes best when it is thick and creamy rather than thin and watery. I prefer using thick, plain yogurt and whisking it until smooth before folding in the cooked pumpkin. If your yogurt is on the thinner side, strain it for a little while to remove some of the excess whey.
- Let the pumpkin cool completely. Don't rush to mix the cooked pumpkin into the yogurt while it is still warm. Allow it to cool to room temperature first so the yogurt stays smooth and creamy.
- Lastly, don't go overboard on aromatics such as ginger, curry leaves and roasted cumin powder. We want their subtle flavor with raita still tasting of earthy pumpkin.
Ingredients
The image below shows the ingredients you need for the recipe. I am adding substitutes and my notes in the recipe card.
Instructions
- Shred the peeled pumpkin.We want medium thickness shreds.
- Temper oil with ginger, green chillies, curry leaves and cumin seeds.
- Add the shredded pumpkin along with ¼ teaspoon salt. Fry on medium heat for a minute.
- Cover and let cook for 3-4 minutes on low medium heat or until the shreds are soft and moisture has evaporated.
5. In a bowl, whisk the yogurt and add all the powdered spices and mint. Taste and adjust the spices to taste.
6. Fold in the cooled, cooked pumpkin along with chopped cilantro, pomegranate arils and more green chillies if desired. Pumpkin raita is ready!
Tempered Pumpkin Raita (Kaddu Raita)
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Ingredients
- 1.5 cup shredded raw pumpkin medium shreds
- 1.5 teaspoon oil I use avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
- 3-4 curry leaves finely chopped, skip if not available
- 2-3 green chillies (hot!) finely chopped, adjust quantity to taste
- 2 cup thick yogurt plain
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 1-2 tablespoon fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon pomegranate arils
Ground Spices
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder
- 1 teaspoon kala namak indian rock salt, its tangy and sulfphurous (skip if not available)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon dried mint powder
Instructions
- Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds and stringy center. Using the thicker side of a box grater, shred the pumpkin into medium-thick shreds. Avoid grating it too finely, as the pumpkin softens quickly when cooked, and we don't want it to turn mushy.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the ginger, green chillies, and curry leaves. Fry for about 30 seconds, stirring gently, until the ginger is aromatic and the curry leaves have crisped up slightly.
- Add the shredded pumpkin along with ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix well so that the pumpkin is evenly coated with the tempered oil and aromatics. Sauté over medium heat for about a minute, stirring gently.
- Lower the heat to low-medium, cover the pan, and let the pumpkin cook for 3-4 minutes or until the shreds are tender. The pumpkin will release some moisture as it cooks. Remove the lid and continue cooking for another minute or two, if needed, until the excess moisture has evaporated. The pumpkin should be soft but still hold its shape. Switch off the heat and allow it to cool completely before adding it to the yogurt.
- Meanwhile, add the thick yogurt to a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy. Add all the powdered spices and dried mint. Mix everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust the salt and spices to your liking.
- Once the cooked pumpkin has cooled completely, gently fold it into the seasoned yogurt. Check the consistency of raita after mixing pumpkin. Add ¼ cup to ⅓ cup cold water to thin out slightly. Avoid making the raita too runny. It tastes better when thick.
- Add the chopped cilantro, pomegranate arils, and some extra green chillies if you prefer a little more heat. Mix gently until everything is evenly combined. Taste again and adjust salt if needed.
- Your pumpkin raita is ready! Refrigerate until chilled and give it a gentle stir before serving.
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