Indian Spiced Pumpkin Food

INDIAN-SPICED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Scrape out flesh from roasted pumpkin.
• In a skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add fennel, cumin, and red-pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pumpkin and maple syrup. Cook for 1 minute, mashing to combine. Add butter and stir. Serve immediately.

INDIAN LAMB WITH SPICED PUMPKIN PICKLE

Steps:

• To make the pickle, cook the squash in boiling water for 6-10 mins until just tender but not falling apart. Drain gently.
• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions, ginger and chilli for 10-12 mins until soft. Add the mustard seeds, ground coriander and turmeric for 1 min. Stir in the cornflour, then the sugar, then gradually stir in the vinegar. Simmer for 6-8 mins until thickened. Gently stir in the squash until just hot, then divide between 2 hot, sterilised jars and cover. Cool completely. The pickle can be eaten straight away or left in the fridge, unopened, for up to 1 month.
• Put the lamb into a dish. Mix together the yogurt, ground coriander, turmeric, nearly all the chopped coriander, the lemon zest and juice and marinate for 1 hr or up to 1 day.
• Griddle or pan-fry the lamb for 1-2 mins on each side until cooked to your liking, then scatter over the remaining coriander and eat with spoonfuls of pickle and naan.

PUMPKIN BIRYANI

Steps:

• Soak the saffron strands in 4 tbsp hot water and leave on one side for about 30 mins until the liquid turns a deep auburn.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Soften the onions in 100g of the butter for 10-15 mins in a covered pan. Give them a stir now and again to stop them catching. Put the garlic and ginger in a small food processor with 3 tbsp water and blend to a paste. Add to the onions and fry for 2-3 mins. Stir in the spices, green chilli and lime juice.
• Cut the top off the pumpkins and scrape out any seeds, leaving the flesh and skin intact. Transfer to a roasting tin and spoon the spiced onion mixture into the cavity of each pumpkin.
• Put the lids back on the pumpkinscover with foil, and bake for about 1 hr 15 mins - until the flesh is tender when pierced with a knife. Leave to cool slightly. Turn oven down to 160C/140C fan/ gas 2. Scoop the filling and most of the pumpkin flesh into a pan, leaving a thin layer of flesh inside the skin. Stir in the Greek yogurt.
• Wash the rice, then soak for 15 mins in enough cold water to cover. Drain, then partially cook the rice in a pan of fast-boiling water for 4-5 mins - it should still have bite to it. Drain in a colander.
• Warm the spiced pumpkin mixture and layer it inside the pumpkin shells with most of the rice and a scattering of mint leaves. Finish with a layer of rice on top. Dot the top of the rice with the remaining 75g butter and drizzle each pumpkin with the saffron and soaking liquid.
• Pour water into the base of the roasting tin to about 1cm depth. Put the lids on the pumpkins and cover with wet greaseproof paper, then seal the tin with foil. Bake for 1 hr - the rice should now be perfumed and perfectly cooked. Place the pumpkins on a serving plate, gently fluff up the rice with a fork and serve straight from the shells.