Libyan pumpkin dip
- 500g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 2cm cubes
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 60-100ml extra virgin olive oi
Tom Kime ate his way through the hawker stalls, noodle carts and kerbside barbecues of 14 countries to research his new cookbook, Street Food.
"A good gig," agrees the fast-talking, British-born chef. Now based in Sydney with his Australian wife, Kylie Burgess, he maintains a career in Britain while developing businesses in this country. In between the globetrotting, he found time to research the book.
Method
Put the pumpkin in a saucepan with 150ml water and simmer for about 10
minutes or until soft. Season well with salt and pepper. Mash the
pumpkin with a fork until smooth then set aside.
Dry-roast the caraway and cumin seeds in a small frying pan over a
medium-high heat for a couple of minutes, until aromatic. Crush the
toasted seeds using a pestle and mortar. Add the garlic, chilli and a
pinch of salt and work into a smooth paste. Add the spice mixture to
the pumpkin along with the lemon juice. Mix through, then stir in the
olive oil. Serve either hot or cold as part of a mezze, accompanied by
lots of hot pita bread.
Serves 6
