Pumpkin and chestnut plov with yogurt and spiced butter

For months I have haunted the weekend supplement recipes as rounded up weekly by Rocket and Squash.

I look forward to the email full of foodie goodness arriving in the Inbox each week, so I can ponder it over lunch breaks and discuss new recipes with my team.  Sometimes, however, there is more talk than 'do' and the recipes remain uncooked, but not forgotten.

However, Supplemental #175 highlighted Diana Henry's article on squash for the Telegraph and included a recipe for Russian Plov. Diana's plov looked had separate grains, lush, bright colours and was served with some beautiful leeks. Mine was somewhat less successful but tasty nevertheless and frankly, it was nice to have great colours in a dish after such a murky winter. 



The comforting flavours of cinnamon and turmeric were countered by the sharpness of cranberries and the fresh taste yoghurt with burnt, spiced butter which made the dish for me.  On its own, I would find the Plov and it's spice base stodgily ok for a cold spring night but I found I enjoyed it more with the dairy.  

Sadly, I am terrible at rice cooking and mine was somewhat claggy but the flavours were there and the cold yoghurt made this dish tasty and comforting. Perfect for comfort, even better for a cosy Christmas night when you crave spice, comfort and not much more than a little chop and stir from pan to bowl. 

The original recipe can be found at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/recipes/vegetable-main-courses-using-best-british-bounty/




Pumpkin and chestnut plov with yoghurt and spiced butter (serves 4)

INGREDIENTS
1½ tbsp olive oil (or whatever oil you prefer)
400g pumpkin, cut into chunks (prepared weight)
1 onion, finely chopped
½ tsp turmeric
225g basmati rice
2 bay leaves
½ cinnamon stick
45g dried cranberries or dried barberries
100-125g cooked chestnuts, halved
finely grated zest of 1 orange
750ml vegetable stock

To finish
40g butter
2 red chillies, halved, deseeded and cut into slivers (you can use dried chilli flakes if you don’t have any fresh ones)
8 large spoonfuls of Greek yoghurt

METHOD
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the pumpkin until it is golden – even caramelised in places – then remove the pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft and pale gold. Add the turmeric and cook for another minute.
Tip in the rice and stir it round in the fat and onion for a couple of minutes. Put the pumpkin back into the pan along with the bay leaves, cinnamon, dried fruit, chestnuts and orange zest. Pour in the stock and season well. Bring to the boil and boil hard for two minutes, leaving the pan uncovered. There should be just a little liquid still on top of the rice.
Wrap the lid in a tea towel and put it on the pan, making sure that none of the cloth is hanging over that could catch on the flame. Turn the heat down low and leave to cook for 15 minutes. The rice should be perfectly cooked. Fork it through. Check the seasoning.

Heat the butter in a saucepan or frying pan and quickly sauté the chillies (they just need a minute). Serve the plov topped with yoghurt, and pour spiced butter over each portion.