Armenian Pumpkin Stew
- Total Time
- 3 hours 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½teaspoon cardamom seeds
- ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1clove
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2pounds lamb stew meat, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1large onion, peeled and minced
- 4cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
- 1celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
- 4large, ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored and seeded
- 1acorn squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
- 2quarts chicken or beef broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
- 1large pumpkin, about 5 pounds, cleaned
- ½teaspoon salt
- 1teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1cup uncooked Basmati rice
- ¼cup minced coriander leaves
- ¾cup minced parsley leaves
Preparation
- Step 1
Combine coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and clove in a spice mill or coffee grinder. Grind until smooth. Set aside. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large, heavy-bottom saucepan. Add the lamb in one layer. Sprinkle with the spice mixture. Sear over medium heat until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove lamb from pan and set aside.
- Step 2
Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Saute, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery root, tomatoes and acorn squash. Add the broth. Return lamb to pan. Partly cover and gently simmer until the lamb is tender, about 1½ to 2 hours. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet. Brush the outside with the remaining oil. Bake until tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. Cook the rice according to package directions. Set aside.
- Step 4
To assemble, place the pumpkin in a serving dish. Fill with the lamb stew. Divide the rice among 4 warmed bowls. Ladle the stew from the pumpkin over the rice. Garnish with coriander and parsley. Serve immediately.
Private Notes
Comments
First, ghapama is traditionally not made with meat, it's a sweet dish. Second, Armenia is not in Eastern Europe, Armenians are from West Asia. If this is your take on ghapama that's one thing, but don't appropriate our food and then disrespect its heritage.
In response to Mooradian, no one said this was ghapama. It’s a stew. Second, there is also the Western Armenian cuisine, which is different from the Eastern cuisine. Just because you are unfamiliar with this dish, doesn’t mean it isn’t Armenian.
In response to Mooradian, no one said this was ghapama. It’s a stew. Second, there is also the Western Armenian cuisine, which is different from the Eastern cuisine. Just because you are unfamiliar with this dish, doesn’t mean it isn’t Armenian.
The pumpkin I used was 12 lbs, and it still couldn't hold all of the stew. The prep work (before even step 1) took over an hour. That said, it was straight-forward, delicious, and not stressful. Just give yourself enough time!
First, ghapama is traditionally not made with meat, it's a sweet dish. Second, Armenia is not in Eastern Europe, Armenians are from West Asia. If this is your take on ghapama that's one thing, but don't appropriate our food and then disrespect its heritage.
@Mooradian For the record, this recipe is from 1992, additionally, the “you” you are addressing was Molly O’Neill. She died in 2019. People have been riffing on recipes for millenia. Armenia would not even have pumpkins in their stews had they not “appropriated” the pumpkin from the indigenous people of the now southern United States and northern Mexico.