Pumpkin Za’atar with Butter Garlic Sauce

It’s pumpkin season! Time to bring out all the pumpkin recipes for your meals. Today’s main course – pumpkin za’atar with butter garlic sauce – came about by sheer serendipity. I had a pumpkin, I had some za’atar, and I realize this is starting to sound like PPAP so I will pause here to tackle first things first: “What’s za’atar?”

Pronounced "zah-tar", za’atar is a spice blend used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Za’atar’s key ingredients are toasted sesame seeds and ground dried thyme, marjoram and sumac. The basic blend may have variations, with cumin, fennel, caraway seeds added to the mix. Za’atar is popularly consumed as a condiment with pita and olive oil.

The trickiest part in this recipe might be getting your hands on za’atar. In case you are not able to find it, try a DIY approximation – here’s a recipe. In the absence of sumac, I would use anardana (powdered dried pomegranate seeds) or amchoor (powdered dried raw mango) – these are easily available in Indian stores.

This dish cooks quick, is newbie-friendly, and what’s more – tastes fabulous. Pumpkin lovers, you’ve got to try it!

You Need:

• Red pumpkin* – 300 grams
• Za’atar – 1 tablespoon
• Paprika powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Sea salt – to taste
• Olive oil – 2 teaspoons
• Garlic – ~2 teaspoons of small cloves
• Butter – 1 tablespoon

*Use a nutty, earthy, non-stringy variety of pumpkin, such as butternut squash. My squash of choice here is the “disco pumpkin”.

In the picture above (clockwise from left): butter, garlic cloves, disco pumpkin, sea salt, sweet paprika powder, za’atar.

How To Make Pumpkin Za’atar with Butter Garlic Sauce:

1. Cook the pumpkin

Peel the skin of the pumpkin. Chop into large cubes.

In a wide non-stick pan, heat two teaspoons of olive oil. Place the pumpkin cubes in a single layer on the pan.

Cook on medium-high heat, till the surface facing the pan starts to turn golden and give off a toasted aroma.

Flip the pumpkin cubes over.

Move the cubes around for even cooking.

Continue to cook the pumpkin on medium-high heat till golden-brown on all sides. This should take about 12-14 minutes.

When almost done, sprinkle the spices: za’atar, paprika powder and sea salt.

Mix and wait for the butter garlic sauce to get ready.

2. Make the butter garlic sauce

When the pumpkin is nearly done, start making the butter garlic sauce: in a tadka ladle or small pan, heat a tablespoon of butter with the garlic cloves.

Bring the butter a bubbling boil on low heat, stirring regularly.

Control the heat/position of the pan to ensure the butter garlic sauce does not burn, but turns a rich deep hue slowly instead.

Watch as the butter bubbles and browns. Take the sauce off the heat when the garlic is golden.

3. Put it all together

Pour the hot butter garlic sauce over the pan of pumpkin.

Stir. Adjust salt as needed.

Pumpkin za’atar with butter garlic sauce is ready.

Serve immediately, as a one-pot meal or with chapatis/bread.

Notes:

Want to try more recipes with butter? Check out tomato carrot soup, buttered moong dal, corn spinach and cheese.

For pumpkin combos with leafy greens, try kaddu poi, pumpkin spinach adzuki bean curry.