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Mderbel of pumpkin (القرع المدربل) or gr'aa m'aassla/maassala) (القرع المعسَّل) is a delicious sweet Moroccan pumpkin paste with cinnamon. It can be served as a cooked salad or as a topping to a famous m'qualli-style sweet chicken or meat tagine that's popular during Eid Al Mawlid, the remembrance of the Prophet's birth. This tradition is still observed in Fez and nearby cities. The pumpkin paste itself is making a comeback as part of the assortment of salads served at wedding celebrations.
We make this easy pumpkin paste ahead of time to freeze in batches and use whenever we fancy.
Choosing the Pumpkin for Pumpkin Paste
Since leaving Morocco, I have tried different kinds of pumpkin—from Hokkaido to butternut. I have to say that a good compact pumpkin is the only one that will give you the expected result.
Some pumpkins are deeper in color than others; we prefer a darker orange with less fibery texture as the paste should be smooth and silky. This usually is a sign of a fresh and high grade pumpkin. When the pumpkin is paler, we tend to double the amount of cinnamon powder.
Although the recipe is simple and does not require many ingredients, it does involve two methods of cooking: steaming and pan frying. The frying process to get the silky texture can take as long as one hour, which is why making a freezable batch may justify the effort as opposed to sweating over the heat for a tiny bit.
