One of my favorite places to bring visitors to Boston is this Afghan restaurant in Cambridge called The Helmand. Usually, it's the first time any of them have had Afghan food, and I love introducing them to the signature appetizer there, the kaddo. It's a "pan-fried then baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and served on yogurt garlic sauce, topped with ground beef sauce." It sounds like a pretty strange flavor combination and is unlike anything else I've ever tasted, but it's absolutely delicious! This is my attempt at recreating the vegetarian version of that dish, based on a recipe I found on Chowhound. —Joy Huang | The Cooking of Joy
WHO: The Cooking of Joy is no stranger to contest victory, having won Your Best Recipes with Tofu!
WHAT: Sweet, cinnamon-y roasted pumpkin meets garlicky yogurt and a fragrant tomato sauce.
HOW: Brown pumpkin in a Dutch oven, then toss with a cinnamon-sugar mixture and roast until tender. Mix together yogurt and crushed garlic (and salt and pepper, of course!) and simmer-down the coriander- and turmeric-tinged tomato sauce. Serve the pumpkin on a pool of both sauces and prepare for oohs and ahhs.
WHY WE LOVE IT: A vegetarian take on the classic Afghan appetizer, kaddo, this dish has a lot of things going on, but all the elements come together for one harmonious, sweet-meets-savory plate. Plus, it can be served hot or cold! —The Editors
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