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Pumpkin with Buckwheat in the Oven
Instructions
Rinse the buckwheat thoroughly until the water runs clear, then let the excess liquid drain off. Heat a skillet without any oil over high heat and tip the buckwheat into it. Stirring, toast the grain until the moisture evaporates. As soon as you catch a bright buckwheat aroma, it is time to take it off the heat.
Peel the pumpkin to remove the tough skin, then take out the seeds and the soft core. Cut it into pieces of any shape – do not make them too large, so that the pumpkin has time to cook at the same rate as the grain.
Chop the onion into half-rings or quarters. In a hot frying pan with the oil, sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes, until lightly golden.
In a deep bowl, dilute the tomato paste with boiling water in a ratio of 2:1 to the grain. Add the salt, pepper and other spices to taste here as well.
Turn the oven on to heat up to 180 °C. While it warms, arrange the ingredients in a baking dish. Spread the sautéed onion and the chopped garlic across the bottom. The next layer is the buckwheat.
Then lay the pieces of pumpkin on top. Carefully pour the boiling water mixed with the tomato paste over the contents of the dish. Cover with foil and place in the hot oven for 35–40 minutes.
When the timer sounds, take out the dish. Make sure no liquid remains at the bottom and the buckwheat is fully cooked. Before serving, stir the layers together. You can let it stand, covering the dish with a warm towel, for 10–15 minutes.
The pumpkin with buckwheat in the oven is ready. Serve it warm. You can emphasise the sweetness of the pumpkin with a knob of butter. The unusual combination of sweet flavours and spices adds a twist to ordinary ingredients that stopped exciting the appetite long ago. Do not be shy about taste experiments!Enjoy your meal!
Tips
- 1
Toast the buckwheat in a dry skillet – this gives a bright nutty aroma. Without toasting, the buckwheat will taste bland.
- 2
Cut the pumpkin and the buckwheat into pieces of the same size – so they cook through at the same time. Pumpkin cubes that are too large will stay "raw" among the buckwheat.
- 3
Foil on top is a must. Under it the buckwheat steams in the tomato sauce, while the top does not dry out.
- 4
Cumin + garlic is a "secret" duo. The same principle works in other side dishes made from pumpkin and grains.
FAQ
Which pumpkin is suitable? +
A sweet orange pumpkin is ideal – Hokkaido, Muscat, Butternut, or "Gribovskaya Winter". They give sweetness and a rich orange colour. Avoid fodder varieties – they have fewer sugars and more water. Cubes of 1.5–2 cm are best for cooking at the same time as the buckwheat. Frozen pumpkin will do; add it without thawing. Fresh is preferable – it is more aromatic. Always cut off the skin – it stays tough in the finished dish.
Which buckwheat is suitable? +
Whole-grain buckwheat (yadritsa) is ideal – it gives a "grainy" texture and a pronounced buckwheat flavour. Green (unroasted) buckwheat is more wholesome but requires a different cooking technique (without dry-toasting in the pan). Ground buckwheat (prodel) will not work – it turns into porridge. Roasted and steamed buckwheat are versatile options. Check that the grain is an even brown colour, with no debris. Fresh buckwheat has a light nutty aroma; old buckwheat has no smell.
How long does the dish keep? +
In the refrigerator in a covered container – 3 days. The next day the flavour is brighter, as the ingredients "infuse". Reheat in a pan or microwave for 2–3 minutes, adding 50 ml of water (it dries out overnight). In the freezer – up to 1 month, but the texture of the pumpkin worsens after thawing. For "freshness" when reheating, add fresh herbs (parsley, dill) and a teaspoon of butter. Cooking for 2–3 meals – a "lunch for 3 days" – is a convenient option for weekdays.
What to serve it with? +
It is a self-sufficient side dish – hearty and nourishing. Serve it with meat (chops, cutlets, stewed meat), chicken (baked breast, legs) or fish (baked salmon, cod). With fresh vegetables (cucumber, tomato, pepper) for a light summer serving. With sour cream + garlic + herbs for a "Russian" sauce. With a pickled cucumber and sauerkraut for a "peasant style" meal. For vegans it is a stand-alone dish with vegetable oil. With a glass of kefir for a "proper" healthy-eating lunch. Garnish with fresh parsley, dill or spring onion when serving for freshness and aroma.
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