Components
- Un kilogramo
- 400 g of peeled Japanese pumpkin (approximately 3 cups, cut into 3 cm cubes)
- 7 cabbage leaves
- 1/3 cup (tea) of diced bacon (optional, approximately 50 g)
- Two onions
- Two garlic cloves
- 3/4 cup of hot tea water
- 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
- One cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- A small amount of sugar equivalent to a pinch
- Two bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- sodium chloride
- black pepper to taste
Setup phase
- Dice the acem into 3 cm cubes. Place them in a bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of salt, cumin, and pepper to taste. Thoroughly mix with your hands to coat all the pieces with the spices, then leave at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients — the meat should not be frozen when it goes into the pan.
- Remove the onion skin and chop into 2 cm cubes. Peel and finely slice the garlic cloves. In a kettle, heat 1 cup of water.
- Switch on the electric pressure pan (without the lid) in Sauté mode. As it heats, add water with one tablespoon of olive oil and brown the meat cubes in batches, avoiding overcrowding, cooking each side for about 4 minutes. Adding all the meat at once will cause it to steam rather than brown. Move the browned meat to a plate and repeat with the rest, adding more olive oil as needed for each batch.
- Add the bacon and cook for approximately 1 minute until the fat begins to render. Incorporate the onion, season with a pinch of salt and sugar, and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown. Then, add the garlic, cinnamon, and bay leaf, stirring for 1 minute to release their aroma.
- Add vinegar and stir thoroughly into the sautéed mixture. Pour in 3/4 cup of hot water, place the meat back into the pan, and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pan and set it to cook under pressure for 25 minutes.
- In the meantime, chop the pumpkin into large cubes approximately 3 cm in size. Rinse and dry the cabbage leaves; using your hands, pull off and discard the stalks, then tear the leaves into pieces roughly 4 cm long. Tip: The stalks can be used to make pickles, pheropha, or vinaigrette.
- After 25 minutes, the pan will automatically switch off and maintain the food’s warmth. Turn the valve to let the pressure escape.
- Lift the lid, add the pumpkin chunks, and stir gently. Close the lid and set the pressure cooking timer for an additional 2 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, turn the valve to let the pressure out. Open the pot and stir the cabbage, which will continue to cook in the stew’s residual heat. Some pumpkin chunks will break down and blend into the broth, making the stew richer. Serve immediately.
Punto de congelación
The stew can be stored in the freezer for up to three months, either in single servings or bigger batches. To defrost, move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Alternatively, you can use the microwave to thaw it—timing depends on the portion size. For larger amounts, you can also thaw it directly in a pan by adding some water, covering it, and heating on low while stirring occasionally until fully thawed.
PRESSÃO CONVENCIONAL
This is the method to make this recipe using a traditional pressure cooker.
