I was introduced to Helmand, an Afghani restaurant in Cambridge, by my dad, who is the person who has introduced me to the majority of interesting foods in my life. My dad is a passionate foodie, and always has been. When I lived on the other side of the country, before there was email, he would clip reviews and send them to me, with arrows and notes written in. I would try to respond in kind, but he has always been the true gourmet sleuth in the family.
I feel quite sure I had no idea what Afghani food was about the first time I went there, and I feel equally sure that I did not expect to be as excited as he was about what I had been told was largely vegetarian fare. I like meat. There, I said it. I have never been really confident around any meal plan that excludes large portions of any one group, meat inclusive, and so I was not particularly confident when my father first convinced me to accompany him to this oddly located restaurant that had opened recently, especially not when he described the menu as “mostly vegetarian.”
I was overjoyed by how wrong I was.
It is kaddo that I that I have carried with me, and that I love to make when the sugar pumpkins start to appear at farmers’ markets in the fall.
There is a rumor out there that you can substitute butternut squash, or other varieties, for pumpkin, but I am a firm pumpkin believer. That said, be sure to use a sugar pumpkin, not a Jack o’ lantern type. The sugar pumpkin is flavorful, but the other is not.
Choose a firm, heavy sugar pumpkin, about three pounds. Cut it in half and remove the seeds, retaining them to toast, then peel. Peeling a pumpkin is not a quick task. You can use a chef’s knife, but I would recommend one of those wide, flat peelers, or at least a carrot peeler. Once peeled, cut the pumpkin flesh into two-inch squares, and toss them in just enough oil to lightly coat. At Cuisine en Locale we use canola, but olive and other mild vegetable oils work too.
On the stove, brown the large sides of the pieces, on medium heat in a flat pan. As you cook them, you will notice the pieces become less convex, more flattened out. Don’t skip this step. It is important!
Toss the pumpkin pieces in about a quarter cup of granulated maple sugar to coat (or in regular or brown sugar). Traditionally cinnamon would be added, but the maple brings its own flavor. Place them in a baking dish, cover, and bake for 30 minutes at 350 F.
Serve plain, topped with yogurt and garlic, or with a traditional Afghani tomato-based meat sauce. Also just make sure you make use of Orlando Pest Control to ensure your home is pest free before cooking! Here is a link to their reviews Orlando Pest Control.