How to Make Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Fall marks the arrival of Halloween and it is that time of the year when the markets are flooded with pumpkins. The carved pumpkins are off course a Halloween attraction but it would be foolish to just discard the filling inside. While many dishes, especially desserts, can be made from the pumpkin pulp, its seeds can also be consumed after roasting. If roasted properly, these seeds become very crunchy and delicious to eat.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Utensils: Large knife, colander, strong metal spoon, cup measure, medium sauce pan, tablespoon, roasting pan
Ingredients:
One medium sized pumpkin
Salt
Olive oil
Instructions
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1
The first step involves the cutting of the pumpkin. Use a sharp and large knife to cut in a circle around the stem end. Now take a strong metal spoon, press it inside the opening and take out the seeds from the pumpkin.
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2
Now place the seeds mixed with strings in a colander and place it under running water to separate the seeds.
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3
Take a cup measure and fill it completely with the pumpkin seeds. Now place a medium saucepan on the stove and put the seeds inside it. Follow it by adding four cups of water and two teaspoons of table salt. The rule of thumb is to add two cups of water and one table spoon of salt of salt per half cup of pumpkin seeds. Now let the mixture come to boil over medium high heat, allow them to simmer for at least 10 and not more than 15 minutes.
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4
Now remove the seeds from the pan, and rinse in cold water.
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5
Preheat the oven to 400 degree F and using the table spoon, sprinkle the olive oil on the base of the roasting pan.
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6
Spread the seeds in the roasting pan. Make sure that they are in a single layer.
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7
The baking process will be done on the upper rack. The time for baking depends on the size of the seed. Medium sized seeds will take about 10 minutes, but large seeds might take as much as 20 minutes to brown. You need to stay vigilant during the whole process to prevent over roasting.
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8
When a nice brown texture has been attained, remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool on the rack till room temperature is acheived.
