Gharge / Pumpkin Puri / Lal Bhopla Puri

In Maharashtrian Cuisine, Gharge or Lal Bhoplyachi Puri is a well known recipe. Sometimes, when pumpkin/kadoo/lal bhopla is not available, I use Butternut squash or Acorn Squash.
This Pumpkin fried bread is great as a snack or as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin or Squash - about 2 cups

Wheat Flour - about 2 cups

Jaggery or Brown Sugar - about 1/2 cup

Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Salt

Oil

How to cook Gharge:

• Discard the seeds and grate pumpkin or squash. You can use canned Pumpkin as well.
• In a mixing bowl, add grated pumpkin or squash, cumin, little salt and brown sugar. Mix all the ingredients well. Set it aside for about 30 minutes.
• Now add wheat flour in small amounts and start kneading. Knead well to form a soft yet firm dough. If the dough is sticky, add little more flour. Let the (covered) dough rest for 20 - 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into small round balls. Roll them into small round puris dusting little flour. Alternately, you can roll the dough as big as chapatis and cut out small puris using a cookie cutter.
• Deep fry these puris in hot oil till they puff up and turn golden brown. 

 

This crisp Pumpkin fried bread tastes good on its own. But you can serve sweet Pumpkin Puris with Coconut chutney as well.