Pumpkin Chickpea Dish

Shamelessly stolen from chowhound.

One of my favorite cookbooks for Middle Eastern (Lebanese) cuisine is Mary Laird Hamady's "Lebanese Mountain Cooking." Here is an amazing recipe that I've made with much success, and to much delight, on many occasions:

PUMPKIN WITH TAHINI, CHICKPEAS, AND ONION

1 can chickpeas
2 - 3 lbs pumpkin or butternut squash
veg or olive oil for frying

2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 c onion, chopped or slivered (I used 1 onion)

1 - 1 1/2 c water

2/3 c tahini
1 cup water
1 Tbs salt
1 c fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

1. Cut pumpkin or squash into 1 by 2-inch chunks. In a deep skillet, heat 1 inch veg or olive oil. Brown pumpkin chunks a few at a time until medium-dark brown on all sides. Drain on a rack or paper. When pumpkin is finished, pour off oil and add 2 Tbs olive oil to skillet.

2. Fry onions until brown around the edges and golden all over. Add chick peas to onion and fry slowly 5-10 min longer.

3. Put tahini in mixing bowl and slowly stir in 1 c water. Then beat in salt and lemon juice.

4. Place browned pumpkin over chickpeas, heat for a minute or so and then add tahini sauce. Simmer until it thickens and pumpkin is completely tender, about 10 min.

5. Serve at room temperature with Arabic bread. Sauce will be quite thick when it has cooled.