Hali (Mashed Potatoes with Pumpkin)
A hearty and wholesome way to use pumpkin that isn't pumpkin pie.
This unique recipe comes from Armenia and brings together the flavors of the harvest. At the heart of this hali recipe are creamy mashed potatoes mixed with mashed pumpkin. The entire dish then gets a hint of sweet from the addition of dried apricots and prunes. This mixing of fruit with savory ingredients is common in many parts of the Levant, the Mediterranean, and in West Asia, and makes for a balanced composition of flavors.
To begin making this recipe you’ll need 2 to 3 cups of fresh pumpkin flesh, which is about 35 ounces of raw pumpkin. To make things easier you can substitute canned precooked pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) instead. If using canned pumpkin add it during the last few minutes of cooking rather than at the beginning.
Both the potatoes and pumpkin are cooked in a mixture of milk and water which imparts a creaminess to the finished dish. Another key ingredient in this recipe is caramelized red onion. The sweetness of this hearty staple adds to the rich flavor profile of hali.
And of course, a bit of butter rounds out the taste of this simple, yet flavorsome combination that’s a warming way to enjoy some fresh pumpkin.
Hali (Mashed Potatoes with Pumpkin)
Allergens: Milk
Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups (35 oz) chopped pumpkin
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup prunes
- 1/2 cup dried apricots
- 2 Tbsp butter, divided
- 1 small red onion
Preparation
- Peel pumpkin and potatoes. Cut into cubes and put into medium skillet. Add milk, water, and dried fruit and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until pumpkin and potatoes are both fork tender.
- Remove from heat and mash until pumpkin and potatoes are smooth. Add 1 tablespoon butter and stir to combine.
- In another pan sauté the onion in remaining butter until golden and caramelized, about 20-30 minutes. Add onions to pumpkin mixture and stir well. Cover and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes before serving.