Spicy stir fried pumpkin with dried shrimps

My grandma used to fry pumpkin with dried shrimps only and I did not like it at all because it was too bland. A few years ago a friend brought some spicy fried pumpkin to a dana at a Buddhist temple and it was so good. Since then I like eating this dish so today I am sharing this recipe with you and hope you will like it too.

A pumpkin (南瓜) is sometimes called a squash and also called a gourd. It is usually round with smooth, slightly ribbed skin and a concave top and bottom. The flesh is normally a deep yellow to orange coloration. In China the pumpkin skin is green in colour and they also have a long shape variety. It is rich in vitamins A, E, C and some B vitamins. Pumpkin is a great source of potassium, calcium and magnesium. It is low in calories so is suitable for dieters. In TCM, pumpkin is considered warm in nature, and a food that affects spleen and stomach. It is also used for the expulsion of tape worms 

Ingredients

¼ piece of medium size pumpkin

4 sprigs curry leaves

50 gm dried shrimps

Soak the dried shrimps for 10 to 15 mins

Rinse and let it dry

Remove the seeds and skin of the pumpkin

Cut into bite size cubes

Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the dried shrimps until fragrant and slightly crispy

Remove the fried shrimps and set aside

Put in 1 tsp mustard seeds and the curry leaves into the oil used to fry the shrimps

Stir for about 2 mins until you can smell the aroma of the curry leaves

Put in the pumpkin and mix thoroughly in the oil

Add 1 tbsp chilli powder and 2 tbsp fish curry powder

Mix thoroughly and add a little water at a time to prevent the pumpkin from burning

Return the fried shrimps to the wok and mix thoroughly

Add a little more water if needed

Cover and cook on low fire until the pumpkin is soft

Check every few minutes to make sure it does not burn

Dish out and serve