Pumpkin- Dry Prawns Ambat.

“Pumpkin- Dry Prawns Ambat” … I have always loved trying various options of mix and match with dishes and the present situation is doing that much more of it as we need to prepare dishes with whatever is available … and then sometimes lady luck smiles on you and you get a wonderful chance of buy your fav. Items … came across an old lady selling dried prawns and without thinking twice, purchased the same from her though it was slightly costlier … added little along with pumpkin/ dudde/ bhopla which was there at home and prepared ambat … Yummilicious …. 

** Sukkale Sungata or Dried Prawns are small medium sized prawns that have been shelled, salted (Optional) and then sun dried on sands of sea shores, till crisp and sold by fish vendors in market. These prawns when sun dried shrink in size and are usually available in the size of approximately about 1.5 inches in length. The tail and head with whiskers are still sharp and you have got to be careful when you remove them. These sun dried prawns have a very strong smell and a handful of the same when added to curries imparts a unique aroma to the same. My stock was over and luckily hubby found a vendor sitting on roadside near a market and selling it in small packets, not sure if it was good he bought just a small packet enough just for a curry or two. Well, let’s see, if I can get more soon. As for today’s ambat a dish from Konkani Saraswat Cuisne which is a curry seasoned with onions I added Duddhe/ Red Pumpkin/ Kumbalakayi/ Lal Bhopla/ Kaddu along with Sukkale Sungata/ Sun dried Prawns and it turned out wonderful and tasty when served with boiled rice. Do try this combination of prawns with pumpkin, if you love dry fish, it really tastes wonderful. 

** Here is my simple recipe for “Pumpkin- Dry Prawns Ambat” … My Style … 

** Ingredients : 

Duddhe / Red Pumpkin / Kumbalakayi/ Lal Bhopla/ Kaddu : 250-300 gms. 

Sukkale Sungata/ Sun Dried Prawns : 1 cup 

Onion/ Piyavu/ Kanda : One small sized. 

Sal to taste 

** Masala to be Ground : 

Coconut / Soyi : 1 cup finely grated fresh coconut 

Kashmiri Red Chillies / Kumte Mirsanga : 8-10 chillies fried in little bit of oil. 

Tamarind / Imly / Chinchama : one small marble sized ball. 

** For Tempering / Seasoning : 

Oil : 2-3 tblsp 

Onion/ Piyavu/ Kanda : One medium sized. 

** Peel off the skin and chop the onions both given under ingredients and tempering finely and keep aside ready separately. 

** For Preparing the Sukkale Sungata/ Sun Dried Prawns : Clean the prawns, trim off the head, tail and the legs gently and retain only the body portion. Wash them gently in water and then soak them in lukewarm water for about 10-15 minutes, gently rinse so that you don’t break them and they are ready to be used. 

** Wash the Duddhe/Red Pumpkin, remove the innermost fleshy portion to which the seeds are attached and then cut it into 2 inch sized pieces retaining the skin. Wash and keep it ready aside. 

** Add in the prepared and kept prawns in a pressure cooker pan in a layer and then top it with the pumpkin pieces also in a layer. Add enough water just to pressure cook and then pressure cook the same to only one whistle on medium heat. 

** Remove and keep it aside just for 5 minutes, then with the help of tongs, lift the weight slowly releasing excess pressure if any and then open the lid gently. Be careful as the hot pressure may escape from the pan. 

** This method is followed so that the duddhe does not get overcooked. If not comfortable with this method you can cook in a vessel both together with water till 80% cooked too, whichever suits you, I always follow this pressure cooker method as I find it easy and fast. 

** For the Masala to be Ground : Add in the coconut, fried red chillies (plus or minus depending upon individual preference) and the tamarind into a mixer grinder and grind to a very smooth paste with little bit of water. You can strain a little bit cooked water from the pressure cooker and use it too. That is what I usually do. In any case do not use too much water nor make the ground masala thinner in texture. 

** Add the ground masala to the cooked Sukkale Sungata/ Dried Prawns- Duddhe/ Red pumpkin in the vessel and mix gently. Check and add in water if necessary to bring to a thick gravy consistency. Add in one of the chopped onion, salt to taste, mix well and bring to boil on medium flame. 

** Once it comes to full boil, lower the heat and let it simmer. Keep stirring in between to avoid the masala getting burnt. Do not let the curry get overcooked as duddhe has a tendency of turning mushy and it turns out unpleasant in taste if it does so, also do not stir much. 

** For Seasoning : Heat oil in a small pan, when hot lower the heat and add in the chopped onion and fry till the onion turns brown in color. Do not keep the heat too high or leave the seasoning unattended, the onions may start getting burn from the sides. Keep mixing often to get evenly fried onion. Once browned, remove and pour this over the simmering curry and keep the dish covered aside for the flavors to seep into the curry. 

** “Pumpkin- Dry Prawns Ambat” is done and ready to be served. Serve the ambat/ curry hot with red ukada (boiled) rice or ordinary plain rice. This curry is best when served with rice, but you can also relish the dish with roti/ paratha/ poori in which case see to it that you keep the curry slightly thicker in texture than for the rice. The other best combo with this curry is Panpolo/ Neer Dosa or Idly, it tastes wonderful. Enjoy this curry hot with your family and friends.