Fried pumpkins in Hot Basil sauce

Ingredients:
400 gm of red pumpkin
3 tbsp of rice powder
1 tsp of pomegranate seed powder
oil for deep frying
salt to taste
For gravy:
1 cup of tomato puree
1 tsp of turmeric powder
12-14 basil leaves
1 tsp of red chilli powder
2 green chillies slit into halves
1/4 tsp of mango powder
salt to taste

Method

Remove the seeds and the pith form the red pumpkin and cut into 2 inch square pieces. Do not remove the skin. Wash the pumpkin pieces and pat dry with a towel. Sprinkle salt, pepper and the pomegranate powder and keep aside for 5 mins.Sprinkle the rice powder on the pumpkin pieces and roll in the rice powder so that each pumpkin pieces is nicely coated.
Heat oil for deep frying and fry the pumpkin pieces till each one is golden brown and crispy. Remove most of the oil till only 3 tsp oil is left in the vessel. Lower the flame and put green chillies and allow to splutter for a few seconds. Mix in the puree and spice powders. Add one cup of water and bring to a boil. Add the fried pumpkin pieces. At this stage if you wish to thicken the gravy, then mix in a tsp of corn flour mixed in water. This is only optional. If you want the gravy light you could just bring the gravy to boil and put off the stove.