VEGAN BUTTERNUT ROAST
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 large green bananas in their skins
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried coriander
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1⁄4 cup jalapenos, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1⁄4 cup coriander, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons maple syrup
Pinch salt and pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 170C.
Place your bananas in a saucepan, cover with water and boil with the lid off for 30 minutes until they are tender (you can check with a knife). The bananas must be covered in water at all times, so keep checking that the water hasn’t evaporated. If it has, just top it up with more water!
Grab your butternut pumpkin and slice in half lengthways. If you’re a bit nervous about doing this simply ask your local greengrocer.
De-seed both halves of the pumpkin and hollow out the inside. If you feel that the hollow is not as deep as you would like, simply grab a big metal spoon and scoop out some of the flesh to create more space for your ingredients. You’ll be surprised how easily a spoon slides through it.
Smear the inside of your pumpkin with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of maple syrup (you’ll use the rest on the skin later).
Once they’re cooked, put aside and allow to cool. Peel and roughly mash the bananas but make sure you keep some texture, don’t make it smooth like baby food! You want some chunks in there.
Pop remaining ingredients except the olive oil and maple syrup into a bowl with your roughly mashed bananas.
If your banana nut mix is feeling a little dry for your liking, add a tablespoon or two of water.
Take one half of your pumpkin and fill it with the banana nut mix, and place the remaining half over the top.
Secure the two halves together with kitchen twine and rub the remaining olive oil and maple syrup into the skin.
Bake for 1 hour or until pumpkin is soft to touch.
Pop this on a rustic wooden platter and slice it up or allow your guests to cut their own portion.
