Dappalam | Gummadikaya Pulusu | Andhra Mukkala Pulusu

In a thick bottomed kadai/pot, add 2 cups pumpkin chopped into large chunks along with 1-2 green chillies slit across. Add water enough to cover the vegetable and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder. Mix well.
Cook covered on medium flame for 8-10 mins until the pumpkin is softly cooked. Add 1 teaspoon red chilli powder (preferably made from spicy Guntur chillies) and salt as needed.
Meanwhile, boil 1 lemon sized ball of tamarind in enough water for 2-3 mins. On cooling down, squeeze out the extract.
Pour the tamarind extract in to the pan. Let it cook for 3-4 mins.
Now add 2-3 tablespoon of jaggery (either chopped into small pieces or powdered) and mix well. Once the jaggery is completely dissolved, check for taste and adjust the amount of jaggery or salt as needed.
Meanwhile make a slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon rice flour with about ¼ cup of water (adjust depending on how thin or thick the stew is). Pour it to the pan.
In about 2-3 mins, the pulusu starts to thicken and turns glossy.
Remove from heat and add 2-3 tablespoon of roughly chopped fresh coriander leaves.
In a small pan, heat 2 teaspoon oil. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 dry red chilli cut into few large pieces and ¼ teaspoon asafoetida. As the seeds splutter, add fresh curry leaves.
Add tempering to the mukkala pulusu.
Serve hot immediately with mudda pappu (cooked salted toor dal), ghee and vadiyalu.