Sometimes a picture tells you all you need to know. Deep, rich, and flavor packed, this dish is the epitome of comfort food. Roasted pumpkin can walk the line, seeming both savory and sweet. In this recipe, chili, garlic and fish sauce makes this recipe quite savory. The prime ingredient here is Kent pumpkin, which you may be able to find in a well-stocked market. They are also known as a “Jap” pumpkin — that’s the name, folks, no mal intent here. These pumpkins are smallish, squat and have green skins. If you can’t find a Kent, I suspect other pumpkins or squash would be interesting substitutes.
Here’s a tip from author Adam Liaw: you don’t need to peel the pumpkin. The skin will soften when cooked and provides texture for the dish.
Croque-Monsieur Gourmand
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients:
½ Kent pumpkin, seeds removed and sliced into wedges
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
1 long red chili, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely I chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt flakes
½ cup thick Greek-style yoghurt
Lime wedges, to serve
Coriander leaves, to serve
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Heat the oven to 400°F (fan-forced). Place the pumpkin slices on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Mix together the fish sauce, brown sugar, chili, garlic and oil and pour over the pumpkin, turning it over to coat well. Bake for 30 minutes without turning, or until the pumpkin is very well caramelized.
Scatter the pumpkin with salt and serve with spoonfuls of yoghurt, lime wedges and coriander leaves. Grind over black pepper to serve.
Source: Adam’s Bit Pot: Easy Meals for Your Family by Adam Liaw [Hamlyn, 2017]