Whole pumpkin stuffed with vegan apricot and saffron pilav

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a pot on medium heat and saute two medium onions in a medium dice four to five minutes until they start to soften.

Add 100 grams of dried apricots, each cut into nine small pieces.

Add 120 grams of drained canned chickpeas and the zest of half an orange.

Season with a teaspoon of ground cardamom, half a teaspoon of black pepper and two teaspoons of salt, and mix together.

Add two cups of washed rice and enough vegetable stock or water to just barely cover it.

Grind about 15 saffron threads with a small pinch of salt to a powder, dissolve it in boiling water and pour it into the pot.

Turn the heat to high, bring to a boil and let the liquid boil away about five minutes.

Once the liquid is mostly absorbed turn the heat to low and steam 20 more minutes.

Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan and toss 100 grams of blanched almonds in it about two minutes until golden brown, then drain them on paper towel.

Mix all the toasted almonds through the cooked rice.

Salt the inside of the pumpkin, fill it without compacting the pilav, oil the pumpkin and wrap it tightly in the same four layers of parchment and foil.

Bake for an hour and a half, as with the first pumpkin, until the flesh is soft and tender.