I came across a recipe from a nutritionist where she was using pumpkin seeds and melon seeds to make a health drink. Recently, I also noticed in a supermarket that they were selling these seeds. These seeds are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Want to know if we can use the seeds from the pumpkin/muskmelon that we buy. Do we need to do any processing (like drying in the sun or preserving it by some way)? Any other ways by which we can incorporate these seeds into our diet.
Hi Karanu, I remember my grandma used to dry these muskmelon / pumpkin seeds in hot sun and will store it in dry jar in my childhood days.. and we will eat this in the evening times (not exactly as a snack)..
I just wash them under running water & dry them . I use oven because being in Canada & in winters that's my option I store them in a jar & use it in my baking, eat as they are or roast them & mix with some spices.
Yes,my mom too used to collect the pumkin seeds and used to roast it in kadai and at last stage will sprinkle salt water in that.we love the aroma used to eat it ,like roasted peanuts. naturally we had organic omegha 3 from orghanically grown pumkin,yes its pumkin will be fron home garden. Hmmm those are all become gone days. poorni
Whenever I make boiled sabji (like bottlegourd/ridgegourd with dhania+til/groundnuts) I usually a handful of these seeds just before switching of the stove - nice bites and taste Similarly, in upmas - (semia/wheat rava/semolina) - Add a handful before turning of the gas and mix well nice crispy feeling I make a powder for kids - 1 cup melon/pumpkin/sunflower seeds (mix all or separately), 1 cup tuar dal - dry roast and grind with just 3-5 red chillies and salt (if making for elders, add more chillies) It makes a good protein+omega3 fats for the kids - mix the powder generously with hot rice and ghee - yummy kandi/paruppu podi rice - stays for a few weeks without getting rancid You can add it to idli podi too I have also added this to the kaju paste for biryanis - yeah yeah I am a cheater cock - Add to gravy sabjis and biryanis and pulavs instead of cashew/poppy seeds/cream/khova/coconut milk/ etc used to thicken the gravy - it tastes yummy too !!! If you get these seeds deskinned from the supermarket, you just have to dry roast it to keep free from infestations. If you want to store it from your cut vegetables/fruits - wash well, dry in hot sun and then de-skin it very very patiently
Today I made a pachadi/thovaiyal as combination for dosa - Heat 1 tbsp oil, add 1tsp methi seeds, 1 tsp mustard seeds, curry leaves, then when they are popping, add 4 dry red chillies, and 1-2 big tbsp of the above pumpkin + melon + sunflower seeds ! When they are fried, add a handful EACH of carrot, snake gourd and bottle gourd pieces (or you can add whatever vegetables YOU have) Add haldi and salt and close with lid, cook till the veg pieces are soft. Add 1-2 tsp tamarind paste according to taste (or cook for 2 minutes in thick tamarind water) and switch off Let cool and grind in the mixie - add a tadka of mustard seeds and hing if you like Super hot sour pachadi ready !!! Goes well with dosas, idlis, cutlets, rice etc.
I have too been collecting pumpkin seeds- washed them and dried them. How long do we have to roast them in a kadai? Is it easy to remove the outer skin then? Like you all have mentioned there is a lot of goodness in those little seeds which are otherwise simply thrown in the bin. What about cucumber seeds (Mangalore cucumber - not the salad cucumber)? Has anybody tried this?
yes this is very good to have those seeds. we used to have them to pass our time too in our summer vacation when there is power cut. Yesterday also i cut a pumpkin and kept the seed to dry to have them
