Kabocha Quinoa

Kabocha is a small pumpkin loved by the Japanese. They are mostly grown in California and exported to Japan so it is possible to find them in the States. You can eat the outside skin, but because this recipe requires the Kabocha to be cooked down to a paste, the outside should be removed. The spice base for the recipe is from a Moroccan Tagine, so when combined with the sweetness of the Kabocha, the cinnamon and ginger is accentuated. A very healthy and satisfying dish that can be served hot or cold as a salad. The key to flavoring this dish comes from a balance of sweetness from the Kabocha and cinnamon, spicy tanginess from the tomatoes, lemon and spicy peppers, and nutty flavor from the almonds and cumin. Season a little as you go and adjust at the end with salt.

Ingredients:

1/4-1/2 kabocha, chopped into large pieces
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 clove garlic, diced
1 inch cube piece ginger, finely diced
1 tbsp chopped spicy peppers such as fresh jalepinio, pepperdew...

a combination of:
sweet peppers as you like such as red, yellow, orange, green chopped
Japanese eggplant, diced
chickpeas, cooked

~2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tsp paprika
1 tsp saffron threads soaked in a half mug of hot water
1-2 tsp salt
1-2 tbsp chopped cilantro

4 cups hot water or broth
1/3 can diced tomato

quinoa for 2 (uncooked)

1 lemon

1/2 cup sliced almonds toasted in a pan

1/4 cup canola oil or the like for frying

Directions

-heat oil in a large wok or soup pot and add garlic, onion, spicy peppers.
-saute till onion turns translucent, being careful not to burn garlic.
-add ginger, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and half of the salt and stir fry.
-add kabocha pieces and stir fry
-add sweet peppers, eggplant, chickpeas, saffron threads and soaking water and stir fry.
-add diced tomatoes and 1/2 of the hot water or broth. Bring to a boil.
-add the quinoa and the rest of the broth. Wait for a boil then bring to a simmer.
-cover and cook till quinoa is ready and be prepared to add hot water as necessary if your
water level gets too low.
-by the end the quinoa will absorb most of the liquid and the Kabocha pieces will be very soft and falling apart.
-when the quinoa is cooked, stir in the cilantro and almonds.
-adjust flavor with salt and lemon.

serve with lemon