Kaddu ki Subzi–Sitapfal / Indian Mashed Pumpkin

Welcome back for the next round of the Autumn Produce Challenge! Wait, it’s the second to last week. CRIES.

I’ve been really looking forward to this weeks challenge! Last year, I shared this pumpkin recipe with you, which was actually inspired by my mom’s recipe. Well, the pumpkin love is still going strong! After realizing this wasn’t just a one time thing, my dad began making the pumpkin subzi he loved and grew up with – mashed pumpkin, cooked in a pressure cooker.

I was looking online to find the actual Hindu name for Pumpkin (subzi literally means a vegetable side dish),

(source)

So Sitafal, which is what we (my family) call it, is the North Indian name for Pumpkin, though the more common/popular name is Kaddu (where the “d” is soft). Sitafal is actually the Panjabi name for Pumpkin, which makes sense because my grandpa (dada) is Panjabi, and my dad & family speak both (Panjabi and Hindi, which are quite similar). In other parts of India, Sitafal is the name for crab apple.

Okay now that we’re done with that history/family lesson- lets get back to the food!

In the US, pumpkin is usually always seen as a sweet dish, but it is not like that around the world. When I was in Australia actually, it was HUGE there. I often saw it grilled and cubes on salads, thin slices on a burger, or roasted as a side dish. So while I love my pumpkin oats and muffins and scones and cookies (and make/eat them plenty!), I knew I wanted to bring you all a savory dish.