I based this recipe on a traditional Afghan pumpkin dish called Kaddo Bourani, which I used to order all the time at a restaurant called Khyber Pass on Saint Mark’s Place in NYC. I don’t remember the first time I had it, but my best friend Ren does.
A few weeks ago I texted Ren saying I was working on a pumpkin recipe I thought they would really like, and sent it over for them to try. Their review was glowing (much to my delight, of course), but specifically they told me it reminded them of that really exciting time in our late teens and early 20s when New York City felt like the whole world, full of new experiences and cultures and foods we’d never heard of, with flavors we’d never imagined, but all of a sudden were ours to enjoy.
Khyber Pass has sadly gone the way of most of the East Village haunts of our youth, and while I’m sure I have plenty of Afghan food in my future, there will never be another first time.
From my research, I learned that authentic Kaddo Bourani has many variations; I’m sure it’s one of those recipes that varies from family to family. I tried to keep my version streamlined to one pot, hence the braising of the pumpkin and the cooking of the lentils right there in the braising liquid. I also tried to keep it pantry-friendly (hence the canned tomatoes and the dried spices). The fresh mint and yogurt, however, are musts.
I would also call this a weeknight win, but I’ve gotten pretty good at hollowing out and peeling pumpkins. If that’s not your idea of a relaxing activity after a long day at work, save this one for the weekend. It also feeds a crowd, but makes excellent leftovers; the flavors intensify after a night in the fridge.
Featured in Episode 9: Pumpkin
EQUIPMENT: Cutting Board, Knife, Ice Cream Scoop or Large Metal Spoon (for scraping out the pumpkin), Large Lidded Pan or Dutch Oven
Afghan Inspired Braised Pumpkin and Lentils with Minted Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 small Pumpkin (approx. 2 lbs)
- 1/2 cup Lentils
- 1/2 Onion, diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced (divided)
- 1 can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Neutral Oil
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1 tsp Coriander
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Vegetable Broth
- 2 cups Water
- 1 cup Plain Yogurt
- 1/2 Lemon
- 1 tbsp fresh Mint, julienned (plus extra for garnish)
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Step 1 Cut your pumpkin in half and scrape out the pulp and seeds. Save the seeds for roasting, if you wish! Using a vegetable peeler, remove the skin. Cut into large chunks. I like to cut each half into four parts, then cut each part into thirds – so the pieces look almost like melon slices.
- Step 2 Add the oil to a large lidded pan or dutch oven and heat over medium high to high heat. Let the oil get very hot (it should be shimmery and smoking a little). Lay the pumpkin pieces with a flat side down, season with salt, and sear until well-browned, 5 minutes or so on each side (You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pot/pan). Once all the pieces are browned on at least 2 sides, remove and set aside.
- Step 3 Lower the heat to medium, and add the diced onion, two cloves of minced garlic, and another splash of oil if necessary. Add the coriander and turmeric, mix to coat the onion, and cook until the onion is tender and the garlic is fragrant. Then add the tomatoes, broth, water, lentils, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and a generous pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Step 4 Taste the lentils for seasoning (Not for doneness – they’ll still be a bit crunchy at the 10 minute mark) and adjust accordingly. Then nestle in your pumpkin pieces, making sure they are mostly submerged in the liquid. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed and both the lentils and pumpkin are tender. TIP: If it starts to look too dry, add more water or stock – but continue to taste for salt.
- Step 5 While the pumpkin is cooking, combine the yogurt, the remaining clove of minced garlic, mint, the juice from half a lemon, and salt to taste.
- Step 6 Plate the pumpkin over a bed of yogurt sauce, or drizzle the yogurt on top, or both! Garnish with mint. Serve with rice, or warm flatbread, or by itself.
SUB LIST
| Pumpkin | Butternut, Acorn, or other Winter Squash |
| Diced Tomatoes (canned) | Fresh Tomato |
| Plain Yogurt | Greek Yogurt (thinned with a little water), Cashew Yogurt or other vegan yogurt of your choice |
