MPHO’S SPICED PUMPKIN SALAD

Serves 6

1kg pumpkin or butternut, peeled and cubed 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil

30ml (2 tbsp) caster sugar

200ml water

A 2cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated 1 medium-hot chilli, finely chopped

Zest and juice of 2 limes

45ml (3 tbsp) chopped fresh coriander leaves 400g pumpkin stems (about 1 plastic supermarket packet), peeled and chopped into 2cm pieces

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp dithotse tsa lerotse (wild melon seeds), optional

Preheat the oven to 200°C. In a roasting dish, roast the pumpkin, tossed in the oil, until soft and golden (about 30 minutes).

While it cooks, combine sugar and water in a saucepan and simmer until reduced by half. Combine ginger, chilli, lime zest and juice. Blend to a smooth paste, and then add to the sugar solution. Add coriander and remove from heat. When pumpkin is tender, spoon the chilli sauce over the top.

Return to oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and add salt and pepper to taste. Top with raw pumpkin-stem pieces and dithotse tsa lerotse (wild melon seeds), and serve as a warm salad.

Recipe and image extracted from Eat Ting, by Mpho Tshukudu and Anna Trapido, Quivertree, R325