The Versatile Pumpkin Raita....

In response, to  a recent, very interesting visual cooking contest , where you cooked a any Indian dish, but styled it in non-traditional / western way, my FB and blog friend Shruti Nargundkar of Melbourne,  succeeded in raising the Maharashtrian Red Pumpkin Raita to new heights.

Inspiration struck as she  cooked and mashed the pumpkin, and spiced it with mustard, cumin, coriander, red chilly powder and a smattering of finely chopped green chillies, coconut and crushed roasted peanuts.  And she clicked just before the plain yogurt/Dahi decided to mix...

Read her post/with recipe  here. 

कधी तरी सिंहकटी वरून दुमडून दुमडून अचानक खूप फुलणारा पिवळा भोपळ्याचा गाउन, गळ्याशी दाटीदाटीने झालर करणारे ओले खोबरे , दाणे, मोहरी-जीर्याचे बुट्टे आणि केसात खुपसलेला कोथिम्बिरिचा राजमुकुट .... आणि कार्टलंड बाईन्ची रथातून धावणारी गोष्ट .... आणि कधीतरी एखाद्या शेलाट्या भांड्यात , चापून चोपुन नेसलेली पिवळी धमक नौवारी पैठणी , जिरे-मोहरीचे काठ्पदर , लावणीचे बोल थिरकताना उडलेले थोडे कुंकू , थोडी मिरची कढीपत्त्याची कलाकुसर आणि त्यावर शुभ्र खोबर्याचा अंगावर पेललेला रेशमी शेला आणि दहिशेठना बघताच आळवलेले "या रावजी , बसा रावजी ..." शब्द कुठलेही असोत , राय्त्याची चव अप्रतिमच असते .....

Maybe bright yellow flounces of a silk tissue gown flaring all around about a narrow waist, scalloped shredded coconut frilled around a slender neck, mustard seed cuminy embroidery with a tiara in green, as she rides Cartland-ishly in a chariot... And then Raita Di, stuffed into a shapely place, resplendent in a brilliant yellow nine yard paithani, with mustard-cuminy borders. The vermillion powder blown across the mirchi kadhipatta embroidrey in an exciting moment of a ghungru dialog, as she throws a silk white coconut wrap across, spots Lord Dahi, and breaks into "Ya Raoji, Basa Raoji...."**** Language is unnecessary. The brilliant Pumpkin Raita is in a league of its own......

**** : the opening words of a popular Laavni/traditional Maharashtrian rural ballad inviting guests