Ghapama

Ingredients:

• 1 small pie pumpkin (about 3 lbs)

• 1.5 cups short-grain rice, thoroughly washed and drained

• 5 Tbsp vegan butter

• 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 3 Tbsp sugar

• 1/3 cup water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Wash and dry your pumpkin and cut out a round hole in the top. Reserve the top, as you will use it as a lid when baking.

3. Scrape out the stringy insides and rinse out.

4. In a saucepan, boil 3 cups water.

5. Add rice and a pinch of salt, and stir well. Cover the pot and turn heat to low. Cook for 13 min, but not longer. If there happens to be excess liquid, drain.

6. Return pot to stove (with heat off) and stir butter into the hot rice until it is completely melted.

7. Stir in apricots, raisins, walnuts, pecans, cinnamon, and sugar.

8. Fill your hollowed-out pumpkin with rice/fruit/nut mixture and pour in 1/3 cup water. Put the pumpkin top back on, and place pumpkin on a parchment lined baking sheet.

9. Bake for 1.5-2 hours, or until pumpkin is soft (when a toothpick can easily be inserted into the pumpkin).

10. Slice into wedges and enjoy as a sweet side dish or dessert!