Gar’a Shlada bil Hamed Markad
Warm Pumpkin Salad with Preserved Lemon
SERVES 4
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) firm pumpkin (winter squash) or butternut pumpkin (squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, grated
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
2 tablespoons chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Peel the pumpkin, discard the seeds and cut into 2 cm (¾ in) chunks. Set aside. Remove the pulp from the preserved lemon, rinse the rind, dice and set aside.
In a large, lidded frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stir in the ginger, cumin and paprika and cook for a further 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin, parsley, coriander, lemon juice, the preserved lemon and 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) water. Season to taste, then cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender, tossing occasionally with a spatula and adding a little more water if necessary. Serve the salad warm as an appetizer or hot as a vegetable accompaniment.
