Ghapama

Description

Ghapama is a stuffed, baked pumpkin dessert originating in Armenia, made of a hollowed-out gourd filled with partially cooked rice, chopped dried fruits, nuts, butter, and honey. This sweet baked squash is a central item during the autumn harvest season and at winter holiday gatherings, and it is specifically eaten for Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations. A medium-sized pumpkin with firm, thick walls is selected to contain the heavy filling. A circular lid is cut around the stem, and the fibrous pulp and seeds are scraped away from the inner cavity. The empty chamber is the vessel for the stuffing. White rice is boiled until it is only halfway done to prevent it from turning into a mushy paste during the final baking stage. The filling requires a mixture of chopped dried fruits, which includes dried apricots, dark raisins, dried plums, dried cherries, and dates. Crushed walnuts or almonds are added to the bowl with the white rice and dried fruit to provide a textural crunch. Liquid honey, melted butter, and ground cinnamon coat the entire mixture, adding moisture and a deep, warming spice. The sticky rice filling is packed tightly into the scraped pumpkin shell. The carved lid is replaced to seal the gourd. The whole pumpkin is placed into a hot oven to bake for two to three hours. The ambient heat slowly softens the squash's thick walls. The starches in the rice absorb the butter, honey, and natural fruit juices released during baking. The hot pumpkin is removed from the oven and displays a blistered, deeply orange skin. The finished dish is sliced into vertical wedges from top to bottom. The exterior walls fall outward to resemble the blooming petals of a large flower. This opening action displays the steaming mound of sweet rice in the center. A popular folk song entirely dedicated to the meal, titled "Hey Jan Ghapama," plays at weddings and large gatherings while the sweet, starchy wedges are consumed.