Pumpkin Oambal - An Assamese Sweet and Sour Pumpkin Chutney. Vegan and Gluten Free
I don’t know about you guys but as soon as I hear the word Chutney and Pickles, my mouth starts watering. I guess chutneys have that effect and that is precisely the reason why any regional thali is incomplete without them. We Indians can boast of an array of pickle and chutney varieties and one needs it on daily basis to satisfy our taste buds.
The reason Chutneys are usually accompanied with the starters or appetizers are to get our taste buds up and running, increase our appetite and make us ready for the main course that follows. Hence Chutneys are usually a mix of spicy, bitter, sweet and sour – All elements that are essential to our palate.
Chutneys, when consumed in moderation are extremely good for the gut. Take for example, the basic Coriander chutney and its ingredients, it is like a total detox for the system. Thali comprises of many components, some fried food, spicy vegetables etc and a lick or two of chutneys in between meals, ensures the food that you consume, digests easily.
Chutneys have a short shelf life which means that every family tries to grind / cook it fresh and consume it within a day or two or store it max a week in refrigerator. Chutneys can be made with a variety of ingredients like fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables and peels too.
I adore regional cuisine for a very simple reason – An ingredient can be made in many varieties, yet tastes different and delicious every few kms you travel! Magic of Indian Food I believe! Every State boasts of a variety of chutneys and I don't think one lifetime is sufficient to taste and experience them all.
I am part of this month’s Recipe Swap Challenge, idea of which was conceptualized by Jolly Makkar wherein a group of bloggers work together in pairs and cook a recipe from each other’s blog. So, for the Recipe Swap challenge, I was partnered with Veena Krishna Kumar who blogs at Veenas Veg Nation. This is her first challenge in the group and I was very happy to peruse through her blog and find this lovely Regional Chutney Recipe from Assam Called Pumpkin Oambal.
A fairly simple recipe, the star ingredient here is the Pumpkin or Kaddu in Hindi, Mathan in Tamil. The chutney is cooked with Tamarind paste, basic spices with a finishing touch by grated jaggery that lends the lovely golden brown texture. Sweet, Sour and Spicy all at the same time. A perfect side dish to your meals. Since Assamese cuisine has a fair bit of Spicy food, this chutney though sweet and sour, was equally spicy, just apt to my taste.
Until few years ago, Pumpkin was an underrated vegetable but has recently gained importance due to veganism and gluten free food culture. We South Indians have been eating this vegetable since eons. The sambar is incomplete without chunks of Pumpkin. I adore the Mathan Errisery that is part of the Onam Sadya or Avial – The mixed vegetable that has pumpkin and Ash gourd as the key ingredients or a simple Poiryal or Thoran that has cooked pumpkin with grated coconut on top. Be it any form, Pumpkin has been a personal favourite.
I was so glad I chose to cook this recipe. A versatile Vegetable, deliciously transformed into a chutney. I hope you enjoy cooking and eating this delicious regional chutney recipe as much as we did at home. Check out the recipe and the step by step pics of the delicious chutney
Recipe for Pumpkin Oambal / An Assamese Sweet and Sour Pumpkin Chutney
Prep Time – 10 mins
Cook Time – 15 mins
Serves 4 or 5 nos.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of peeled, washed and cubed Pumpkin
- ½ tsp of Mustard seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 to 12 nos. Raisins or Kishmish
- 3 or 4 nos. Whole Red chillies
- A pinch of Asafoetida or Hing
- ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder or Haldi powder
- 1 tsp of Red chilli powder
- 2 tblsp of thick Tamarind paste or pulp
- 1 tblsp of crushed Jaggery
- 1 tblsp of Oil
- ¼ cup water
- Salt as per taste
Method –
- Heat a kadhai or non-stick pan, add oil and mustard seeds.
- Allow it to crackle and then add hing, bay leaf and some whole red chillies.
- Now add the cubed pumpkin, raisins and mix them well.
- Add salt to taste, turmeric powder and some red chilli powder.
- Add ¼ cup water to cook / soften the pumpkin.
- Now add the tamarind paste or pulp. Mix everything together and keep a lid on and allow it to cook for 5 – 7 mins until the pumpkin is soft.
- Using your spoon, mash the pumpkin.
- Add jaggery and mix everything well once. Cover with lid and allow it to completely melt and form a lovely golden brown colour chutney mixture.
- Switch off the flame and serve it with some Dal or Rice or even phulkas / theplas etc.
Recipe Notes –
- If you don’t have tamarind paste or pulp ready, here is what you can do – A marble sized tamarind ball soaked in atleast 10 tblsp of hot water for 15 mins. Squeeze it completely and use that thick tamarind pulp to add to the pumpkin mixture. Ensure you add a bit extra water than ¼ cup mentioned above to get rid of the raw smell of the tamarind and ensure even cooking.
- Original recipe had lime juice but I have avoided the same as the tamarind (its sourness) did the trick for us completely.
Vidya Narayan
This is interesting ?
It is! Thanks
This is too tempting! Perfect side dish for paratha.
I agree. Jyoti, we have polished off the entire chutney in a matter of 2 days and I am planning to make another batch. Loved it.
Nice Vidya!something new to me!! Mouth watering!!!
Loved this! Its already wiped clean and planning to make some more during the next week. Do try! Thanks
My boys love pumpkin recipes and I am sure this is something that they would love. I am a big fan of sweet and sour flavors. Looks wonderful Vidya!
Am sure this pumpkin oambal will definitely please our family's tastebuds, i just love anything as sweet and sour. Cant wait to give a try to this lipsmacking oambla.
Please do, thank you so much
I have a recipe for pumpkin with crarasins from a friend. Now this one seems more exotic, so i am going to shelve that and have this one in sooner. Let you know as soon as i make it.
Seema, I paired this with pongal and seriously didnt miss the coconut chutney. We ate the chutney more than the pongal actually. haha.. Do try and let me know. I am sure you would love it. Thanks so much.
Such an interesting mix of flavours. Sweet from pumpkin and raisins, tangy from tamarind and then there are the spices. I am sure it was a palate pleaser.
Absolutely Aruna! Paired this with pongal and we did not miss the coconut chutney at all. I have made it twice already, pumpkins are my fav.
My boys love pumpkin and this is a great recipe to try for them. Love the flavors.
I hope your boys love this Sandhya. This was wiped clean with Pongal at home and tasted delish. Thank you!
This looks mouthwatering. I can imagine the tongue tickling taste. Bookmaking it to try soon.
Thank you so much and I hope you love it.
I wasn't a big fan of pickles but of late any pickle and it makes my mouth water. Pumpkin pickle sounds really good and love how easy it is to make it. Something so different.
Pumpkins are my weakness so I had to try this out. glad you liked it, make this and I bet you will make this again. Thanks so much
I had made this pumpkin oambal for Assam cuisine challenge few monrhs back Vidya. My family loved it to the core and now i make it very often. Such a lip smacking side dish it is ..lovely share !
I agree Poonam, we loved it too. Simple ingredients yet when they come together, makes a lovely chutney.
Interesting recipe.. Loved the flavours and mouthwatering !
Thanks so much Priya
Pumpkin being mine favorite too, i'm sure i will love this chutney...with raisins, jaggery , tamarind and chili..this is flavors dancing in your mouth no doubt
Thank you dear, I agree
pumpkin is one of my favorite veggie which I can enjoy in any form. This chutney looking very tasty and I can imagine the flavors. we cook sabji this way just not to mash it. raisin are attracting me a lot in this chutney. loved this recipe.
You are just like me - Pumpkin fan! Thanks so much and do try this, you would love it.
Bookmarked this recipe will tryout soon . I love chutney and I am sure this is so yummy !
Loved it Paarul, you should try it definitely. Thanks
This is so interesting! We rarely use parangikkai aka red pumpkin in our home kitchen. This looks like a fabulous way to use it. 🙂
Sure, you should try it.
Wow partner this is really a good share. I loved this combination of ingredients into chutney. Perfect sweetness from pumpkin and raisins & tanginess from tamarind. I love to eat with paratha & poori. Delicious ?
Absolutely and the paratha or pooris would be an ideal combination to mop the delish chutney.
Sweet and sour..this is recipe sounds interesting..
Thanks Ankita
Thank you so much Ankita
I have tried oambal some time ago and was in love with the taste. SO I know what you mean when you say your mouth waters. Mine is right now! ;D I love your chutney and will make it soon its been ages since i have made it.
Haha.. Thanks so much and glad you liked it. Make some soon...
Very delicious,very healthy and absolutely drool some pics!Its something I have been wanting to make for a long time!
Thanks, you should totally make it.
I am drooling over this...This looks so yum...the khata mitha taste...would love to have with some roti's...
Absolutely Renu, loved it.
I tried it and its very tasty...
Thank you for the feedback.
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Sure. thanks
I think we both have similar liking towards chutneys. I loved this too and am glad you like it too. Looks amazing Vidya!!
Thank you so much Veena, glad we share the same thought!
We are making a lot of sweets & other food items from pumpkin but not masala pumkin but you have taught me how to make masala pumpkin.Thanks for the nice blog.
My pleasure and hope you love all the recipes on the blog. Thank you so much