The Ayurveda Experience Blog
Pumpkin, an orange winter squash harvested in October, goes hand in hand with Autumn holidays and Halloween decorations. More than that this versatile fruit is rich in vitamins and nutrients. The flowers, seeds and flesh of the pumpkin are all edible. Combined with black beans, this Pumpkin Black Bean Side Dish is beneficial for Vata and Pitta dosha.
The pumpkin obsession is back. Are you sick of it yet? Pumpkin flavored coffee, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie are all readily available now until the Thanksgiving holiday. If you partake in too many of these, especially those with artificial sweeteners, you might feel like you’re overdoing it. This pumpkin dal however will act as a natural detoxifier and will keep your Vata dosha balanced. A healthy pumpkin pudding or pumpkin ‘kheer’ recipe, eaten at the right time and in the right quantity, will satisfy your craving for sweets.
According to Ayurveda, black beans are astringent in taste. They help build all the seven types of dhatus or body tissues, especially muscle tissue, which makes them especially important for individuals on a vegetarian diet. They are rich in protein and generally aggravate Vata dosha. But the addition of pumpkin in this recipe pacifies Pitta and Vata and therefore this dish acts as a tridoshic option.
Eat this Pumpkin Black Bean Side Dish to soothe your soul. It’s an amazing and healthy pumpkin recipe, without the pumpkin (and sugar) overload.
Pumpkin Black Bean Side Dish
Ingredients
3/4 cups black beans
1 cup pumpkin pieces (white or orange)
4 green chilies
1 cup fresh grated coconut
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup water
curry leaves, to taste
salt, as needed
Directions
Soak the black beans overnight. Cook together the chopped pumpkin, black beans, slit green chilies and salt in 1/2 cup of water. Don’t overcook the vegetables. They should retain their shape.
Now blend fresh cut coconut pieces and collect the extract of the coconut milk by squeezing it. You can use store bought coconut milk instead of fresh squeezed milk if you want. Now again add water to the squeezed coconut and capture the coconut milk. This is called the second extract of coconut milk. Add the second extract of coconut milk to the cooked and drained vegetables. Allow it to boil and when it does, switch off the flame and add the first extract of coconut milk. Now heat the oil in a pan and pop the mustard and cumin seeds, adding them to the dish.
This recipe goes well with rice and flatbread and can be enjoyed with other regular meals as well.
