Cooking with Pumpkin
 Pumpkin
when ripe can be boiled, roasted, baked or even made into various types of
pie, alone or mixed with other fruits; while small and green it may be
eaten in the same way as the vegetable marrow. Pumpkin can also be
incorporated into soup or eaten mashed. If you pour milk into a pumpkin
and bake it you can make a pudding. In the Middle East, pumpkin is used
for sweet dishes, a well known sweet delicacy is called Halawa Yaqtin. In
Asian countries such as India, pumpkin is cooked with butter, sugar and
spiced called Kadu ka Halwa.
Cambodia Chicken and
Pumpkin Stew
Ingredients: (Serves 6)
1/2 cup (110 g) short-grain rice
2 tablespoons oil
1 kg (2 lb) chicken pieces
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons finely chopped lemon grass
(white part only)
2 teaspoons grated fresh turmeric or 1
teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons grated fresh galangal
6 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
6 spring onions, chopped
4 cups (1 liter) chicken stock
500 g (1 lb) pumpkin, cubed
1 small green pawpaw, peeled and chopped
125 g (4 oz) snake beans, cut into short
lengths.
Method:
Preheat the oven to moderate 180°C/350°F/Gas
4. Spread the rice on a baking tray and roast it for 15 minutes or until
golden. Remove the rice from the oven, allow it to cool slightly and then
process it in a food processor until finely ground.
Heat the oil in a large pan; add the chicken
pieces in batches and cook for 5 minutes, or until brown. Drain on paper
towels. Add the garlic, lemon grass, turmeric, galangal, lime leaves and
spring onion to the pan; cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until the
spring onion is golden. Return the chicken to the pan; add the stock,
cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the pumpkin and pawpaw, and simmer,
covered, for 10 minutes. Add the beans and simmer, covered for another 10
minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Stir in the ground rice, bring to
the boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the
mixture thickens slightly.
Note: Green pawpaw is available at Asian
grocery stores. If it is not available, green mango can be substituted.
Happy Cooking,
Carol |
