My first time to San Francisco, I went to this restaurant called Helmand. It was my first time eating Afghani food and it was very exciting. I remembered having this pumpkin dish that was so good. The textures and flavors were so beautiful and wonderful that it still brings back memories.
A few days ago, I stumbled upon a recipe for this wonderful pumpkin at Chowhound.I knew I had to try it!! I made this last night for dinner and it came out pretty well. The creaminess and slight tartness of the yogurt marries beautifully with the sweet pumpkin and spicy beef. Here's the recipe with some changes from me.
A few days ago, I stumbled upon a recipe for this wonderful pumpkin at Chowhound.I knew I had to try it!! I made this last night for dinner and it came out pretty well. The creaminess and slight tartness of the yogurt marries beautifully with the sweet pumpkin and spicy beef. Here's the recipe with some changes from me.
adapted from Chowhound
One 2 to 2.5 pound sugar pumpkin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp of garam masala
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1. Set the oven at 350.
2. Cut the pumpkin into quarters. Remove seeds and strings, peel the skin with a vegetable peeler, and cut down into about 2-inch chunks.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet or dutch oven. Brown the pumpkin pieces, turning frequently, until golden brown (about 5 minutes.) [Brown the pumpkin pretty aggressively in this step, while taking care not to scorch it.]
4. Transfer pumpkin to a roasting pan. [If using a dutch oven, leave pumpkin in the dutch oven] Mix sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over pumpkin. Cover with foil if using a roasting pan or cover with the lid of your dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender. (see note)
5. While the pumpkin is baking, make the yogurt sauce and the meat sauce.
6. Yogurt sauce: mix together yogurt with one clove of crushed garlic in a bowl; season to taste with salt & pepper.
7. Meat sauce: in a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and cook the onions until lightly browned. Add ground beef, the second clove of crushed garlic, and salt & pepper. Mix well and cook until beef is browned. Add tomato sauce and water, mix thoroughly and bring to a simmer, lower heat, and cook about 20 minutes until it cooks down to a thick sauce. Add garam masala, coriander, and cumin to taste. (see note)
8. To serve: spoon yogurt sauce onto dinner plates, add a portion of the cooked pumpkin, and top with meat sauce.
2. Cut the pumpkin into quarters. Remove seeds and strings, peel the skin with a vegetable peeler, and cut down into about 2-inch chunks.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet or dutch oven. Brown the pumpkin pieces, turning frequently, until golden brown (about 5 minutes.) [Brown the pumpkin pretty aggressively in this step, while taking care not to scorch it.]
4. Transfer pumpkin to a roasting pan. [If using a dutch oven, leave pumpkin in the dutch oven] Mix sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over pumpkin. Cover with foil if using a roasting pan or cover with the lid of your dutch oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender. (see note)
5. While the pumpkin is baking, make the yogurt sauce and the meat sauce.
6. Yogurt sauce: mix together yogurt with one clove of crushed garlic in a bowl; season to taste with salt & pepper.
7. Meat sauce: in a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and cook the onions until lightly browned. Add ground beef, the second clove of crushed garlic, and salt & pepper. Mix well and cook until beef is browned. Add tomato sauce and water, mix thoroughly and bring to a simmer, lower heat, and cook about 20 minutes until it cooks down to a thick sauce. Add garam masala, coriander, and cumin to taste. (see note)
8. To serve: spoon yogurt sauce onto dinner plates, add a portion of the cooked pumpkin, and top with meat sauce.
Notes:
- *Don't cut down on the sugar, it seems like a lot, but it's necessary. Make sure the pumpkin is cooked until very tender and soft.
- *The original recipe doesn't call for the garam masala, coriander and cumin, I added it for additional flavor.
2 comments:
that sounds delicious!! i've never eaten Afghani food...but i have tried Iranian, and Pakistani - should be somewhat similar...
anything with pumpkin is a winner in my book!
Footprints, the flavors are similar! You should try the recipe! It's definitely a winner! =)
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