Pumpkin Pilaf Recipes

RICE PILAF WITH PUMPKIN, CURRANTS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Warm olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until pumpkin begins to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside, leaving oil in pot.
• Add onion and cook, stirring, until quite brown, about 5 minutes. Add pine nuts and let them brown a bit. Add currants, pepper, allspice and cinnamon.
• Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, making sure rice is well coated with oil. Add broth or water and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a bare simmer. Taste broth and adjust for salt - it should be quite well seasoned. Add reserved pumpkin, cover with a lid, and cook over very low heat until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat, and let rice steam with lid on for 10 to 15 minutes. Add butter and fluff rice gently with two wooden spoons.

PUMPKIN PILAF

Steps:

• 1 - Heat oven to 400* Toss pumpkin cubes with 1 tbs oil, the coriander & cumin and 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast in oven for 25 - 35 minutes till cooked through and slightly caramalised. 2 - While pumpkin is cooking, wash rice 2 - 3 times and drain in a sieve. 3 - Heat 1 tbs oil in a pan with a tight fitting lidover medium heat. Add onion, and saute till limp and picking up brown flecks. Add ginger and garlic, saute 30 secs. Add rice, stir around for another minute till all grains are coated with the flavoured oil. 4 - Add 1 3/4 cups water, and 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, stir well, cover with a tight fitting lid. Lower heat to the lowest on your stove and let cook for 20 min. Turn off the heat and leave for another 5-10 minutes to steam. 5 - By the time the rice is cooked, the pumpkin will be roasted also. Fluff the rice with a fork, and toss with the pumpkin and cilantro. Spoon on to a serving dish, and garnish with the toasted nuts.

PUMPKIN AND SAFFRON JASMINE RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Rinse the rice, cover with cold water by at least 2 inches, and refrigerate overnight.
• Place the pumpkin in a food processor with 1 1/2 cups water. Process until very smooth. Squeeze through a fine-meshed strainer over a bowl, pressing down on the solids to release the juice. Pour the liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough water to make 2 cups. (The pumpkin pulp may be used for another purpose, like soup.)
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the rice. Heat the olive oil, garlic, saffron and allspice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add the rice and stir gently so as not to break the grains, coating it evenly with the aromatics. Cook until the rice is fragrant and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin juice and stir for 30 seconds to prevent clumping. Cover and bring to a boil.
• Transfer to the oven and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove, and keep covered in a warm place for 25 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and serve.