Kaddo Bourani

We’re approaching the end of pumpkin season, so I’ve been posting my very best pumpkin recipes last week and this week. Luckily, pumpkins keep well for a couple months (and my pumpkin puree will keep good for 6 months or more when frozen) which means after you buy up those last pumpkins, you’ll have ample time to cook these delicious recipes!

Kaddo bourani is a delicious Afghan dish that plays around with very unusual flavor combinations. Sweet pumpkin mingles here with cinnamon, topped with mint garlic yogurt and a coriander-laced tomato sauce. This seemingly disparate combination manages to come together seamlessly. Traditionally, the tomato sauce has ground beef in it, but I’ve done a vegetarian version here, substituting with a can of kidney beans. This dish also works as an appetizer without the tomato sauce.

Kaddo Bourani
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 medium (4 – 5 lb) pumpkin, peeled, seeds and strings removed, and cut into 1″ pieces
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh mint, minced*
• a pinch kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 cups diced tomatoes**
• 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans
• salt and pepper, to taste

*Dried mint can also work here.
**Canned are fine.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat 3 Tbsp butter to medium heat in a large sautee pan (I actually had to use two pans and you probably will too), then add 1 medium (4 – 5 lb) pumpkin, peeled, seeds and strings removed, and cut into 1″ pieces, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to darken and look transparent around edges, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the pumpkin to a roasting dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar and 3/4 tsp cinnamon over the pumpkin. Bake until very tender, 30 – 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, mix together 2 cups yogurt, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 Tbsp fresh mint, minced, and a pinch kosher salt, then refrigerate for about 20 minutes so the flavors can blend.
5. Meanwhile, start the tomato sauce. In a medium pot over medium heat, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil, then add 1 onion, diced and sautee until translucent and starting to darken.
6. Add 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 1/4 tsp ground coriander, and 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, and sautee until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
7. Add 2 cups diced tomatoes and 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, then simmer until the kidney beans are soft and the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, taste, and add salt and pepper, to taste.
8. Serve the hot pumpkin, topped with cold yogurt and warm tomato sauce.