Kaddo Bourani Recipes

KADDO BOURANI (AFGHANI BAKED PUMPKIN WITH YOGURT SAUCE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Cut the pumpkins in half through the stem end, and cut out the long stringy fibers.
• Cut each pumpkin half into 3- to 4-inch pieces.
• There should be about 8 pieces from each pumpkin.
• Using a vegetable peeler, pare the rind from the pumpkins, digging the peeler down a little to remove more than just the superficial layer of rind.
• Place the pumpkin pieces hollow sides up in a baking pan large enough to hold them in a single layer.
• Coat both sides of the pieces, using all of the oil.
• Pour all the sugar evenly over the pieces.
• Cover the pan.
• Bake the pumpkins until the color turns darker orange and becomes nearly translucent, and the texture is extremely tender, about 3 hours and 15 minutes.
• Baste the pieces once with the pan juices after 2 1/2 hours of baking.
• The Yogurt Sauce: Stir together the yogurt, garlic, mint and salt.
• Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
• Just before serving, taste and add more salt if necessary.
• Yields 2 cups sauce.
• For each serving: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the yogurt sauce onto a plate.
• Using the back of the spoon, spread the sauce a little.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove 2 pieces of the pumpkin from the pan and center them on the sauce.
• Add more sauce to taste.

KADDO BOURANI (PUMPKIN WITH YOGURT AND MEAT SAUCES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Using a vegetable peeler, pare the rind from the pumpkins, digging the peeler down a little to remove more than just the superficial layer of rind. Cut the pumpkins in half through the stem end, and cut out the long stringy fibers. Cut each pumpkin half into 3- to 4-inch pieces. There should be about 8 pieces from each pumpkin. Toss pumpkin pieces with oil then sugar and place the pumpkin pieces hollow sides up in a baking pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour leftover sugar evenly over the pieces. Cover the pan. Bake the pumpkins until the color turns darker orange and becomes nearly translucent, and the texture is extremely tender, about 3 hours and 15 minutes. Baste the pieces once with the pan juices after 2 1/2 hours of baking. Stir together the yogurt, garlic, mint and salt. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, taste and add more salt if necessary. Heat the oil in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan until it ripples. Add the onions and saute over medium-high heat, stirring, until they are golden brown, about 18 minutes. Add the beef and saute, stirring constantly to break it up into tiny pieces, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato, garlic, coriander, salt, pepper and turmeric. Cook for 5 minutes. Blend in the tomato paste. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Use 2 to 2 1/2 cups of the sauce for the Kaddo Bourani. Cool, cover and refrigerate the remaining sauce for use throughout the week. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the yogurt sauce onto a plate. Using the back of the spoon, spread the sauce a little. Using a slotted spoon, Center some pumpkin on the sauce. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the meat sauce over the pumpkin.

KADDO BOURANI

Steps:

• Make the pumpkin: It helps to have a serious vegetable cleaver for this bit. Preheat your oven to 300º. Wash off the outside of the pumpkins. Cut them in half. Scrape out the stringy stuff on the inside. Cut the halves into 3#-4# pieces or so. Peel them. Get rid of all the green and rind. Find a baking pan large enough to hold all the pumpkin pieces in a single layer. Cover the pumpkin pieces in the oil and place them hollow side up in the pan. Pour the sugar evenly over the pumpkin pieces. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 2 1/2 hours, then baste the pieces with the pan juices, cover them up again, and bake for another 45 minutes. The sugar will all melt away and end up partially absorbed. The pumpkin pieces will turn dark orange and translucent. They will have a stunningly novel texture. It is a beautiful thing. Make the yogurt sauce: Mix all the ingredients together. Refridgerate. Make the meat sauce: Brown the onions in the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the meat and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until browned. Add all other ingredients (except for the tomato paste and water) and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes or so. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. Serve: Hot pumpkin, topped with cold yogurt sauce, topped with hot meat sauce.