Stuffed pumpkin
Sometimes a familiar meal deserves a different presentation. I had a small pumpkin and decided to fill it with rice, meat and vegetables. It is simple to prepare and makes a welcome change for dinner.
I was a little lacking in sophistication in taste. Next time I’ll add fried mushrooms and cream to the filling.
First we prepare the pumpkin. Wash the pumpkin, cut off the top part to form a lid. Remove seeds, fibers and part of the pulp from the middle, leaving thin walls.
Grate the garlic on a fine grater or pass through a press. Mix with soft butter and half a teaspoon of salt.
Rub this mixture onto the inside of the pumpkin and set aside.
Boil the rice until half cooked.
Cut vegetables into half rings.
Cut the meat into cubes.
First place the meat in a frying pan heated with vegetable oil. Fry on all sides until golden brown. Then add vegetables. Fry it a little too. Add a little water and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with spices. I used sumac and utskho suneli.
Mix rice with meat and vegetables. Stuff the prepared pumpkin. Add some water. No more than half a glass and cover with a lid.
Place the pumpkin in a deep pan. Make sure that the pumpkin stands firmly so that it does not lean to the side.
Place in a hot oven for 1 hour.
Serve in portions, removing the filling and part of the pumpkin onto a plate.