Ghapama
A traditional Armenian pumpkin dish, often prepared for holidays and special occasions. It's a baked pumpkin stuffed with rice, dried fruits, nuts, and sweetened with honey or sugar.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 whole Medium-sized pumpkin(about 3-4 kg, preferably a sugar pumpkin or similar sweet variety)
- 1 cup Rice(short or medium grain, like Arborio or Calrose)
- 2 cups Water(for cooking rice)
- 0.5 cup Dried apricots(chopped)
- 0.5 cup Raisins
- 0.5 cup Walnuts(chopped)
- 0.25 cup Honey(or to taste, plus extra for drizzling)
- 2 tbsp Butter(melted, plus extra for greasing)
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp Salt
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
💡 Tip: Ensures the pumpkin doesn't stick. - 2
Wash the pumpkin. Cut off the top (about 1/4 of the pumpkin) to create a lid. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp from the inside.
💡 Tip: Save the lid for later. Ensure the cavity is clean. - 3
Cook the rice: Rinse the rice. In a saucepan, combine rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is partially cooked. Let it cool slightly.
💡 Tip: The rice will continue to cook inside the pumpkin. - 4
In a large bowl, combine the partially cooked rice, chopped dried apricots, raisins, chopped walnuts, honey, melted butter, and cinnamon. Mix well.
💡 Tip: Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. - 5
Carefully stuff the rice mixture into the hollowed-out pumpkin. Do not overfill, as the rice will expand.
💡 Tip: Leave some space for expansion. - 6
Place the pumpkin on the prepared baking sheet. Place the pumpkin lid back on top.
💡 Tip: The lid helps to steam the pumpkin and keep the filling moist. - 7
Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the pumpkin is tender when pierced with a knife. The cooking time will vary depending on the size and type of pumpkin.
💡 Tip: Check for tenderness by inserting a knife through the side. - 8
Remove from oven. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. Drizzle with extra honey and a knob of butter if desired.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Choose a pumpkin that can stand upright on its own.
- ✓If the pumpkin starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil.
- ✓Ghapama is often served as a dessert or a sweet main course.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Add other dried fruits like cranberries or dates.
- Include other nuts like almonds or pistachios.
- For a savory twist, reduce the honey and add spices like nutmeg or cardamom.