A pumpkin stuffed with rice cooked in onions, carrots, tomatoes, and garlic, coated in all kinds sweet and earthy spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and ginger speckled with juicy red cranberries and sweet raisins.
Wash the rice in cold water and then let it soak for 20-30 minutes. This speeds up the cook time and reduces any excess starch that causes clumpy rice.
Wash the squash well, and cut off the top where the stem is. Carefully hollow out the inside by removing the seeds and stringy pieces. Save the seeds to toast later. Rub the outside and top of the squash with 1 tbsp of oil and set it on a pan.
Drain the rice and add to the vegetables in the pot. Toss in the spices until it is well coated.
Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to low and cover. Check the rice in 5 minutes. The water should be absorbed from the top. Add the cranberries and raisins and stir gently. Scoop out enough rice from the pot to stuff the squash and cover with the top of the squash. Place into oven for 30-40 minutes, until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork. If there is still water visible in the pot of rice, cover the pot and allow to cook for 5 minutes more. Remove the rice from the pot and plate it onto serving platter, leaving a space in the center for the squash.
While the squash cooks in the oven, toast the pumpkin seeds or nuts in a small pan over medium high heat until they turn golden-brown. Set aside for garnish later.
Once the squash is cooked through, remove from the oven and transfer onto the center of the rice platter. Sprinkle toasted nuts or pumpkin seeds all over the ricer.
When ready to serve, slice the pumpkin or acorn squash following the vertical ridges to create a beautiful petal design. Plate a slice of squash and a serving of rice for each person.