Recipe - Persian Pumpkin Stew

1 pound Stew meat; (lamb or beef)
2 small Pumpkin; or 1 medsmall
pumpk
One half cup Dried prunes
3 tablespoon Tomato paste
1 teaspoon Turmeric
1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
One half md Onion; chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pn Saffron disolved in 1/4c.
warm water; optional

Brown the meat and add about 1 and One half cups water. Add tomato paste,
turmeric, cinnamon, saffron and salt and pepper and sauteed onion. Cook
covered ata simmer for about 1 and One half to two hours. Meat should be tender
and nearly falling apart stage. You may need to add water during cooking
but you shouldn't end up with more than the stated amount. You don't want
a watery stew. In the meantime, seed the pumpkin and slice into 2X2 inch
pieces and peel. Brown on both sides in corn oil. The pumpkin should
become brown in some places and somewhat flexible but not totally cooked.
Add to meat and cook covered an additional 2030 minutes until tender but
not falling apart. A fork should go into the pumpkin easily but not break
it up. Add the prunes the last 5 minutes of cooking. They shouldn't
really cook too much but should get warm. Serve over hot basmatic rice.
Note on pumpkin: Baking pumpkins are the best since they
are sweeter and less stringy. I have used jack o lantern pumpkins when
feeling frugal and the dish was still good. You want about twice the
volume of meat in peeled pumpkin slices.