Borani Kadoo (Afghan Braised Pumpkin)
Adapted from Katie Sullivan Morford
Pumpkin:
1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
One 3-pound sugar pie pumpkin, or other winter squash
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, halved, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and diced
1- 2 tablespoons sugar (add more or less to suit your preference)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Yogurt sauce:
1 cup yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch salt
Puree the onion in a food processor. Heat the oil in a 14-inch sauté pan or large casserole over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.
While the onion is cooking, cut the pumpkin. Set the pumpkin on its side and use a sharp chef's knife or bread knife to cut the top and bottom off the pumpkin. Put the pumpkin right side up and cut off the peel, trying to remove as little of the flesh as possible. Cut the pumpkin in half down the middle and scoop out the seeds and string. Save the seeds for toasting if you like. Cut the pumpkin into 1-inch-thick wedges and cut those wedges in half crosswise.
Once the onion is tender, add the garlic, jalapeño, tomato paste, turmeric, ginger, sugar, salt and 1 1/2 cups of broth. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Once the mixture boils, turn the heat to low and gently press the pumpkin pieces into the onion/broth mixture so the pumpkin is tightly tucked into the pan. It's ok if the pieces overlap somewhat. Every few minutes, move the pumpkin around so all the pieces cook evenly in the sauce and the bottoms don't burn. Add more liquid if the pan gets dry. Cook until the pumpkin is fork-tender but doesn't lose its shape (about 30 minutes).
While the pumpkin is cooking, combine the yogurt, garlic and salt in a small bowl.
To serve, spoon the yogurt over the pumpkin and pour any remaining yogurt around the outside edges of the pumpkin. Serve with warm pita or naan bread.
