CINNAMON-ROASTED PUMPKIN

by Tamsin Snyman      |     Picture credit: Warren Heath

Serves 6

Pumpkins were grown in Africa long before the Cape was colonized, and its popularity endures to this day. Rural communities cook pumpkin simply – sliced and boiled, or cooked with maize kernels, pap (maize meal) or beans. Early Dutch cooks mashed pumpkin with butter, sugar and cinnamon; this is an adaptation of that idea. The oven heat and cooking time aren’t crucial, as pumpkin is normally roasted at the same time as meat. Use butternut instead if your pantry is low on pumpkin, and leftovers whip up deliciously into pumpkin fritters. This super simple recipe is from our Vegetable & Grains chapter in our cookbook Tortoises & Tumbleweeds.

INGREDIENTS

750 g pumpkin

125 ml orange juice or water

sea salt

2 cinnamon sticks

50 g coconut blossom sugar

100 g vegan butta, cut into cubes

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Peel the pumpkin, cut into slices and remove the pips.
2. Arrange the pumpkin in a baking dish. Add the orange juice or water and salt lightly. Crumble in the cinnamon, sprinkle with sugar and dot with butta. Cover with the lid or foil.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and baste the pumpkin with the sauce. Roast uncovered for a further 30 to 45 minutes until tender and well browned – switch on the oven griller at the end of cooking time if it needs more colour. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.
4. Serve these sweet and tender pumpkin slices on a pile of brown rice or quinoa and serve a big green salad alongside.