In lieu of photos of skeletal trees, interesting living sculptures, and a harrowing (!) trip to a ghost town, this year I’m offering up a Hallowe’en post with a recipe. It’s a frighteningly good one, though, and it uses pumpkin, so it will hopefully meet with unanimous approval and gifts of tiny individually-wrapped chocolates.
Roasted Pumpkin and Lentils
SPOILER ALERT: Gratuitous pumpkin gore ahead*
1 small pumpkin
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup red lentils, washed and drained
4 cups water
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground curry
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 large tomato, diced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Metric conversion table here.
*First, prepare the pumpkin. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Carefully cut the pumpkin in half, and scoop out the seeds. (Save the seeds to roast later on). Place the pumpkin, cut sides up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush olive oil into the cavity of the pumpkin halves. Roast the pumpkin in the hot oven for 45 minutes. Cool, then scoop out the flesh into bite-sized pieces.
Using a colander, rinse the lentils under cool water. Into a large saucepan, place the 4 1/2 cups of water and lentils. Bring to a boil. Add the turmeric and salt. Cover the pot and cook at medium heat for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, curry, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the roasted pumpkin and lentils (including the liquid) to the pan. Mix well. Cook about 5 minutes, then add fresh parsley. Serve over hot cooked rice or noodles.
I think it would be highly appropriate to chow down on this festive comfort food with a side of miniature chocolate bars while enjoying a recording of Vincent Price and Basil Rathbone reading Edgar Allan Poe stories and poems (the link may be found here; you’ll need a Spotify account to listen). Freakishly fantastic!
Flowery Prose. 