PILAF PUMPKIN WITH BLACK GARLIC

SERVES: 4+

PREP TIME: 20 minutes | COOK TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium pumpkin 

• 1 red onion, diced

• 5 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground cardamom

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 star anise

• 250g Basmati Rice

• Drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar

• Drizzle of Worcestershire sauce

• 50g cashew nuts, roughly chopped

• 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary

• 1 tsp finely chopped thyme

• 20 Original black garlic cloves

• 2-3 Original Black Lemon slices

• 500ml vegetable stock

• 2 tbsp Original Black Garlic Paste

• 2 tbsp oil

To serve (optional): Black Garlic Ketchup

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Cut around the top of the pumpkin to form a lid and scoop out the seeds and loose flesh. Replace the lid, and place in a roasting tin on a low shelf in the oven for 30 minutes.

3. Heat a pan and add a drizzle of oil. Fry the onions until soft and glossy. Add the white garlic, fennel seeds, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves and star anise and fry for another minute until fragrant.

4. Tip in the rice and stir to combine. Drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and worcestershire sauce. 

5. Stir in the cashews, rosemary, thyme and black garlic cloves, add the hot vegetable stock and add the black garlic lemon slices. 

6. Reduce the heat to a simmer for around 10 minutes, until the rice is almost cooked.

7. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and fill it with the pilaf mixture. Dot some black garlic paste on the top, replace the lid and loosely cover with foil. Place back in the oven for around 45 minutes, until the pumpkin flesh is tender and cooked through.

Recipe by Lara Green @_fromthegreenkitchen

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