Ghapama (Armenian Stuffed Pumpkin)

Ingredients;

• whole Kent pumpkin
• 500g half-boiled jasmine rice white rice
• 250 g dried cranberries
• 360 g cooked french lentils
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp ground cardamom
• 1 tbsp salt & pepper
• 1.5 cups honey
• 250g butter, melted

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius.
2. Carefully slice the pumpkin in a circle close to the top (retaining the lid) and spoon out the seeds and fibrous material inside.
3. In a big bowl, mix the half boiled rice with the lentils, cranberries and spices.
4. on the rice and dried fruit mixture into the pumpkin. When the pumpkin  is about half full, pour in ½ cup of honey and 125 g of melted butter so that it’s evenly distributed over the rice mixture.
5. Continue to fill the pumpkin with the rice and dried fruit mixture. Once the mixture is almost full to the top, pour in the remaining honey and melted butter – again, so it’s evenly distributed over the mixture.
6. Put the top on the pumpkin.
7. Put the Pumpkin on a tray and bake for about an hour. (Check the pumpkin after 30 minutes. When the pumpkin is brown and soft, the Ghapama is ready.)