What to do with the pumpkin after H-day? Here is a delicious and heart-healthy pumpkin and
sweet potato stew, fragrant with spices to bring smiles to both older and younger folk.
Serve with fresh, crusty bread and a crisp green salad and you have the makings of a quick-to-fix evening meal.
Pumpkin and sweet potatoes are very high in vitamin A and soluble fibre. They are also cheap and readily available at this time of year.
Besides, it’s nice to be able to actually use that ghoulish product of Halloween carving and cavorting.
Pumpkin and Potato Stew
INGREDIENTS:
2 Tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 cup onions or shallots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups fresh raw pumpkin, peeled and diced into 1″ pieces
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1″ pieces
1 cup vegetable stock or water
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 can (19 oz. – 540 ml) chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup fresh coriander, minced
PREPARATION:
In a heavy stock pot or wok, heat the oil.
Add onions or shallots and garlic and stir fry for a few minutes.
Add in cumin, ginger, salt and pepper.
Add in the pumpkin, sweet potatoes and vegetable stock (or water) and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until pumpkin and sweet potatoes are just tender but still firm. Do not overcook.
Add in maple syrup and chickpeas/garbanzo beans.
Add in minced coriander.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Place in a 300-degree F oven for 15 minutes then serve hot.
Yield = 6 servings
