Kaddo Bourani (Pumpkin with Yogurt and Meat Sauces)

Afghani servings4 – 6 addedAugust 2018

Pumpkin

• 2 Sugar Pie pumpkins, each about 3 pounds
• 6 tablespoons corn oil
• 3 cups sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
2. Wash off the outside of the pumpkins. Cut them in half. Scrape out the stringy stuff on the inside. Cut the halves into 3″-4″ pieces or so. Peel them – you can actually use a regular peeler for this, though it helps to have a sharp paring knife to get the stem and hard-to-reach rind bits off. Peel it deeply enough that you get rid of all the green and rind.
3. Find a baking pan large enough to hold all the pumpkin pieces in a single layer. Use multiple pans if needed. Cover the pumpkin pieces in the oil (yes, really, use all of it), and place them hollow side up in the pan(s). Pour the sugar evenly over the pumpkin pieces (yes, really, just grit your teeth and use all of it; if you have a small child, you may find it easier to have them do this part for you, and you can look away until they’re done).
4. Cover the pan(s) with aluminum foil. Bake for 2½ hours, then baste the pieces with the pan juices, cover them up again, and bake for another 45 minutes.
5. The sugar will all melt away and end up partially absorbed. The pumpkin pieces will turn dark orange and translucent. They will have a stunningly novel texture. It is a beautiful thing.

Tips

• It helps to have a serious vegetable cleaver for this bit.

Yogurt Sauce

• 2 cups plain yogurt (low-fat is also fine)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• ½ teaspoon salt

1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Meat Sauce

• ¼ cup corn oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1½ pounds ground beef
• 1 large tomato, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1¼ teaspoons ground coriander
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1⅓ cups water

1. Brown the onions in the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
2. Add the meat and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until it is broken up into small pieces and the pinkness is almost entirely gone.
3. Add all other ingredients (except for the tomato paste and water) and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes or so.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the water and bring to a boil. (Really, it will probably boil as soon as it touches the pan.)
5. Lower the heat and let simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes.

Assembly

1. Hot pumpkin, topped with cold yogurt sauce, topped with hot meat sauce.