Welcome to A Lotus Girl Blog! Since pumpkin season is here, today we’ll be sharing five different Lebanese recipes for preparing pumpkin. Let’s get started!

Pumpkin Kibbeh

Ingredients:

• 1 kg pumpkin
• 500 g fine bulgur
• 1 large grated onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp seven spices
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp basil
• A few drops of oil

Preparation:

1. Peel and cut the pumpkin, then boil it for about an hour until fully cooked.
2. Drain the pumpkin and let it cool.
3. Mix the pumpkin with the fine bulgur, then add the grated onion, spices, marjoram, and basil, and knead well.
4. Prepare the filling (not mentioned in the original text but assumed to be your choice of filling).
5. Grease a tray with a few drops of oil, spread a layer of the pumpkin mixture, add the filling, then cover with another layer of the pumpkin mixture.
6. Score the top layer into squares and poke a hole in the middle of the mixture.
7. Bake the kibbeh in the oven for about 40 minutes until it turns a reddish color.

Pumpkin Pastries

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 kg flour
• 1 tsp yeast
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar

Filling:

• 1 kg raw pumpkin
• 1 large grated onion
• 2 tbsp. of cooked Fat or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp seven spices
• 1 tsp black pepper (optional)

Preparation:

1. Dough:

In a bowl, rub the flour with oil.

Add yeast, baking powder, salt, and sugar, and knead slightly.

Gradually add water while kneading until the dough becomes firm and non-sticky (use a ratio of 1 cup of water to 2 cups of flour).

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

2. Filling:

Grate the raw pumpkin, add spices, fat (or oil), and salt.

After the dough has rested, flatten and cut it into circles. Place the filling on the dough and fold into square shapes.

Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes until they turn golden brown.

Figleaf gourd Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Figleaf gourd
• 1 kg sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Cut the pumpkin into pieces and boil for about 2 hours until the white flesh turns transparent and separates easily from the skin.
2. Drain the pumpkin and, once cooled, remove the skin and seeds.
3. In a pot, mix the pumpkin with sugar and lemon juice (no need to pre-make the syrup as this type of pumpkin releases a lot of water).
4. Cook the mixture on low heat for about an hour until it thickens and turns golden.

Orange Pumpkin Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 kg pumpkin
• 1 kg sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 basil leaves
• Water (use a 1:1 ratio of water to sugar)

Preparation:

1. Peel and cut the pumpkin into cubes, then boil for about an hour until fully cooked.
2. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Prepare the syrup by adding water, sugar, basil leaves, lemon juice, and the cinnamon stick to a pot. Stir gently over low heat until the syrup thickens.
4. Add the pumpkin cubes to the syrup and let simmer on low heat for about 40 minutes.

Thank you for reading. Enjoy these delicious Lebanese pumpkin recipes and share them with your friends! Comment down below your favorite pumpkin recipes.

Read more:

Fried or Baked Kibbeh: A Simple Guide to Lebanese Flavors

Lebanese Breakfast Series: Kick Off with Classic Fatta