Ghapama with Meat (Armenian Stuffed Pumpkin)

Ingredients:

  • One medium sized pumpkin 🎃
  • 1.5 cup of long grain rice 🍚
  • 0.5 kg meat 🥩 (lamb or beef)
  • 1 yellow onion 🧅
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/4th tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4th tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4th tsp allspice
  • 0.5 tsp Armenian red hot pepper 🌶️
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt to taste 🧂

Directions:

  • Thoroughly wash and soak the rice in cold water.
  • Finely chop the onion and sautée until soft.
  • Cut the pieces of meat into 1 cm size and add to the onion.
  • Continue mixing until the liquid from the meat evaporates.
  • Add all the spices and continue mixing.
  • Strain the rice and put aside.
  • Take off the sautéed ingredients from the stove.
  • Wash the pumpkin with soap, dry, and cut the top of the pumpkin into a star-shaped lid.
  • Empty the inside of the pumpkin from the seeds and fibre.
  • Add salt and olive oil on the walls inside the pumpkin.
  • Fill in the pumpkin with layers of rice and sautéed meat.
  • Put the cinnamon stick at the very top.
  • Add 0.5 cup of boiling water on top of the rice and meat mixture.
  • Close the lid.
  • Put the pumpkin on the tray and place in the oven 350 F for 1.5 hours. The middle rack.
  • Serve hot and enjoy.
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