Mayan Pumpkin Seed Pepian Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

• 1 lb mixed vegetables such as squash, potato, and green beans
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 4 ripe tomatoes, halved
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 tsp ground cumin
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes, until they puff and pop and turn golden. Tip them out at once and repeat with the sesame seeds.
2. Watch them every second. Scorched seeds turn the whole pepian bitter and there is no correcting it.
3. Toast the chilies in the same dry pan for 30 seconds per side, until fragrant and pliable, then soak them in hot water for 15 minutes.
4. Char the tomatoes, onion, and unpeeled garlic in the dry pan over high heat for 8 minutes, turning, until blackened in patches and softened. Peel the garlic.
5. Grind the cooled seeds to a fine powder, then blend them with the charred vegetables, the drained chilies, the cinnamon, cumin, and 1 1/2 cups of the broth until completely smooth.
6. Heat the oil in a heavy pot and pour in the purée, standing back as it spits. Fry it for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens and thickens.
7. Add the remaining broth and the vegetables and simmer gently for 20 minutes, until tender. Do not let it boil hard, or the ground seeds separate and the sauce goes grainy.
8. Season with salt, stir in the cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Allergen note: Contains sesame.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.