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Oromo with pumpkin
Steamed rolled pumpkin dumpling (orama/oromo), Kazakh and Kyrgyz style
Oromo, or orama, is a big rolled dumpling: a thin sheet of dough spread with filling, rolled into a long coil and steamed in a multi-tiered mantovarka. It's a home dish across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, quicker than shaping dozens of manti. In autumn, when Kyrgyz gardens in the Chüy Valley are full of squash, it's filled with grated pumpkin and onion, which turn sweet and juicy. Serve in thick slices with sour cream or a garlicky tomato sauce. Chef's tip: grate the pumpkin coarsely and salt it only just before rolling; salted too early it weeps and makes the dough soggy.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
To serve
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Knead 12 ½ oz plain flour, ¾ cup warm water, ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp sunflower oil for 7 minutes into a firm, smooth, elastic dough. Wrap and rest 20 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Mix 1 ½ lb pumpkin or butternut squash, 2 onions, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp black pepper and 1 tsp sugar. Leave the salt out for now.
Step 3: Bring water to the boil in the base of a steamer (or a large pan with a steamer insert) and brush the steamer tray generously with oil.
Step 4: Roll the dough on a floured worktop into a thin rectangle, about 35 × 45 cm and 1.5–2 mm thick.
Step 5: Brush with half the 1 oz butter. Stir 1 tsp salt into the filling and spread it evenly over the dough, leaving a 2 cm border along one long side.
Step 6: Roll up firmly from the filled long side towards the bare border and pinch the seam closed. Coil the roll into a snail (or cut into 2 lengths to fit the steamer).
Step 7: Set on the oiled tray, brush with the rest of the 1 oz butter, cover and steam over a medium-high heat for 35–40 minutes, until the dough is glossy and firm and a skewer slides through the pumpkin easily. One common mistake is letting the water boil dry; top it up with boiling water halfway.
40 minStep 8: Rest for 5 minutes, then cut into thick slices and serve with 5 ½ oz sour cream and ⅛ oz fresh dill.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 530 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 76 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does oromo with pumpkin take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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