AFGHANI SUGAR PUMPKIN WITH GOAT AND YOGURT SAUCES (KADDO BOURANI)

AFGHANI SUGAR PUMPKIN WITH GOAT AND YOGURT SAUCES (KADDO BOURANI) image

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

-- Candied Pumpkins --
2 sugar pie pumpkins (2-3lb each)
1/4 cup oil
2 to 3 cups sugar
-- Yogurt Sauce --
2 cups plain yogurt (greek is best, not nonfat)
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dried mint or 8 chopped fresh leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
-- Meat Sauce --
1/4 cups vegetable/olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 to 2 lbs ground goat meat (you can also use beef)
1 tomato, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/3 cups water

Steps:

-- Candied Pumpkins -- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cut the top and bottom off the pumpkins - this makes it easier to chop them. Halve the pumpkins where the stem would have been and then halve again. This will yield 8 slices per pumpkin. Scoop out the seeds (reserve and toast them if you want). Peel the skin and the veiny rind off the slices. Place the pieces hollow side up on a baking dish and cover with oil. Rub the oil in with your fingers or a baster. Coat the pumpkin with all the sugar. Really use all the sugar. If it won't stay on, you can bake them for 30 minutes and then add a second coating of sugar. The sweetness is balanced by the yogurt sauce. Bake the pumpkins until they turn dark orange, about 2 to 3 hours. Baste the slices with the juices in the pan once towards the end of baking. Check them regularly towards the end to make sure they don't burn. -- Yogurt Sauce -- Mix together the yogurt, garlic, mint and salt. Refrigerate. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice if it isn't a little tart. -- Meat Sauce -- Heat the oil in a medium or large saucepan. Add the onions and saute, stirring often until they are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the ground goat and chop with a spatula so its in small pieces, cook until the meat isnt pink. Stir in the tomato, garlic, coriander, salt, pepper and turmeric. Cook 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Cover for a more watery sauce, allow steam to evaporate for a thicker sauce.