Halloween is just round the corner, and if you are running short of recipes for the party, here's an interesting one by Alka Khanna, Homechef at CyberChef.in. Ingredients Large pinch of saffron strands 500g/onion, thinly sliced 175g butter 8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 100g ginger, roughly chopped ¾ tsp chilli powder 1 tsp ground cardamom seeds ½ tsp grated nutmeg 3 small cinnamon sticks 1 tsp clove 3 bay leaves 2 blades mace 2 tsp garam masala 1 green chilli, deseeded and shredded Juice of 3 Lemons 2 Kg Pumpkins 175ml Greek yogurt 450g basmati rice Large handful mint leaves Method * Soak the saffron strands in 4 tbsp hot water and leave on one side for about 30 mins * Heat oven to 200C. Heat a pan with 100g of butter and soften the onions in for 10-15 mins in a covered pan. * Put the garlic and ginger in a small food processor with 3 tbsp water and blend to a paste. Add this mixture to the onions and fry for anothere 2-3 mins. Stir in the spices, green chilli and lemon juice. * Cut the top off the pumpkins and scrape out the seeds, leaving the flesh and skin intact. Transfer to a roasting tin and spoon the spiced onion mixture into the cavity of each pumpkin. * Put the lids back on the pumpkins cover with foil, and bake for about 1 hr 15 mins – until the pumpkin is tender when pierced with a knife. Leave to cool slightly. * Turn the oven down to 160C. Scoop the filling and most of the pumpkin flesh into a pan, leaving a thin layer of flesh inside the skin. Stir in the Greek yogurt. * Wash the rice, then soak for 15 mins in enough cold water to cover. Drain, them partially; cook the rice in a pan of boiling water for 4-5 mins. Drain in a colander. * Warm the spiced pumpkin mixture and layer it inside the pumpkin shells with most of the rice and a scattering of mint leaves. Finish with a layer of rice on top. * Dot the top of the rice with the remaining 75g butter and drizzle each pumpkin with the saffron and soaking liquid. * Pour water into the base of the roasting tin to about 1cm depth. Put the lids on the pumpkins and cover with wet greaseproof paper, then seal the tin with foil. * Bake for 1 hr – the rice should now be perfumed and perfectly cooked. * Place the pumpkins on a serving plate, gently fluff up the rice with a fork and serve straight from the shells. Watch Foodie promo:
