We went for a Sunday stroll yesterday. Oh, how I love this time of year. Autumn always gets me bursting with new ideas! The leaves are shedding from the trees and the weather is finally beginning to chill- It’s time for chunky sweaters and warm coats. Pumpkin patches and carving is at the ready. Halloween is in one week and I am so excited. But pumpkins are not just for carving and so I thought I’d share my ultimate comfort food recipe for those days where you arrive home from a fresh autumnal walk.
My daughter is so happy about celebrating Halloween this year. She’s just learned to say the word ‘spooky.’ Every time we go shopping she points at pumpkins and shouts ‘spooky’, so I’ve ended up with an abundance of pumpkins this year and little funky coloured squash. While I love making pumpkin displays that cascade down my door steps, I also enjoy cooking with pumpkins too. They’re such an underrated food here in the UK!
I thought I’d try and make Halloween a bit special this year to leave the doom and gloom of the past couple of years behind. So I’ve gone all out this year with Halloween decorations! Like this spooky Halloween garland which I picked up from Amazon for £7.99 it includes the giant spider and it looks so cute. It’s perfect for photo opportunities and I thought it was great value for a product that is so on trend! My kids helped me to blow it up with balloon pumps. To make the arch, I’d recommend using helium.
I’ve been reading a lot about chakra healing recently. I think I’m definitely in need of some TLC this Autumn. In particular my sacral chakra- which rules creativity and pleasure. Seeing as it’s Autumn and the vibrant colour of orange is everywhere, it seemed like the perfect time to publish some soul healing food recipes!
After all, what are cosy nights made for right? Warm comforting food and tasty treats. I have been putting a lot of focus into my blog recently, so much so that I forget to switch off sometimes and focus on myself! So here is a recipe that fills me with happiness after a long Autumnal walk!
Here’s my recipe;
Pumpkin Biryani
This is my pumpkin Biryani. It’s a little bit complicated and fussy, but it’s soo worth the extra work. I served it in the pumpkin just to make it extra ‘spooky’. I didn’t add any chillies as I made it for my kids, but you could chuck some in if you like your food spicy. I hope you enjoy my recipe!
Ingredients
Pinch of Saffron/ Natural Yogurt full fat 1 large tub 400g/ 3tbs Biryani massala powder/ Cinnamon/ Nutmeg/ curry powder 1 tbs/ cumin seeds/ Himalayan salt/ Paneer/ 1 Cup of vegetables (or meat)/ 1 medium pumpkin/ Basmati rice/ 1 lemon/ fresh coriander leaf/ mint leaves/ 2 cloves/ onion/ cashew nuts/ ghee (or oil) / (chilli’s and sultana’s optional)/ chopped garlic/ flaked almonds
Method
In a cup of hot water soak a pinch of saffron until the water is an Autumnal auburn colour. Leave to soak 30 mins.
In a bowl add half a cup of full-fat natural yoghurt. Add spices, salt and cumin seeds, stir. Add cubed Paneer cheese and vegetables. (Or meat such as chicken, marinate in the fridge for a minimum of two hours.) Leave to marinate for 25 mins.
Cup top of the pumpkin. Scoop out seeds. Drizzle inside with olive oil salt and pepper. Put the lid back on, wrap in tin foil and place in oven 160 degrees for approx 50 mins.
Wash Basmati rice. In a pan of hot water add lemon juice, cumin seeds, 2 cloves, 1 tbs olive oil, salt and rice. Cook for half the cooking time, until rice, begins to dance in the heat. Rice should be half cooked. Drain if necessary.
Spread rice out flat on a dish to cool quickly. Drizzle saffron water over a plate of rice.
In a pan heat, 1 tbs of ghee (oil if preferred) cook chopped onions for 15 mins then add 3 tbs cashews, chilli’s if desired and a spoonful of sultanas.
Add marinated veg (or meat), add chopped garlic, coriander leaf and some mint leaves. Add a cup of yoghurt and a good splash of water.
Add rice. Turn off the heat.
Take the pumpkin out of the oven and begin to scoop out the flesh. Add flesh to Biryani mix and stir together.
Place mix back into the pumpkin and add flaked almonds and lemon wedge, top with lid. Wrap in tin foil again. Place in oven for 40 mins.
Serve in the pumpkin. Make a mint yoghurt to accompany if you’ve added chillies.
My Indian Style Mint Yogurt
1/2 cup of Yogurt/ Chopped mint leaves/ Chopped Coriander/ 3 tsp Mint Sauce/ Salt/ Paprika
Mix together, Add whole milk to change the consistency is desired.
Enjoy,
Soph.
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