ZAPALLO RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180°C.
• Cut a lid off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Smear the melted butter on the inside of the pumkin and lid. Replace the lid and place in a greased tray and bake for 40 - 60 minutes Time will depend on the size of your pumpkin. It should be soft but not collapsing.
• While pumpkin is cooking make the stew. Dry fry the coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Add chillies and cook for another 20 secs. Remove and cool before grinding to a fine powder.
• Fry the onion, pepper and garlic in oil in a very large pan) until tender. Sprinkle on the spices and add the sweet potatoes, new potatoes, tomatoes, lentils, dried fruit 1 1/2 lt water, salt and pepper (if desired). Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 - 25 mins until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn and cook for another 4 minutes turning the cobs halfway through. Stir in half the coriander leaves and ladle into the pumpkin (depending on size it may not all fit in, the stew freezes very well) top with the rest of the coriander.
• Serve in the pumpkin, when dishing up scrape some of the sides of the pumpkin to add to the stew.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the garlic, ají amarillo paste and chopped onion into a pot and fry over medium heat for around 3 minutes.
• Add the chopped pumpkin, butternut and potato cubes along with the slices of corn and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
• Monitor the stew and if you feel it’s drying up too much, add a cup of water. (If you don’t have corn on the cob, you could just add 1 cup of sweet corn kernels.)
• Add the green peas and broad beans and cook for another 5 minutes. If using milk, add it now.
• Turn off the heat and add the fresh cheese cubes and chopped huacatay leaves. (This herb can be difficult to find outside of Peru, so you can replace it with some chopped cilantro or mint leaves.)
• Serve accompanied by a generous portion of white rice. Top with a fried egg (optional) and salt and pepper. Enjoy!