Pumpkin and pomegranate pickle

Makes about 2 x 500ml Kilner jars

I've been staring at a couple of little pumpkins and pomegranates in my fruit bowl on the kitchen table for the past 4 weeks and thought it's time to do something with them before they end up on the compost heap, which, by the way, I couldn't resist buying from the green supplement in The Independent a couple of months back. It looks more like a beehive and blends in perfectly without looking like a compost heap.

Problem is the neighbours think I've joined the urban honey-making fraternity and fear my garden is swarming with bees.

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
3tbsp vegetable oil
1tsp black mustard seeds
1tsp ground cumin
Seeds of 10 cardamom pods
1tbsp grated root ginger
120g granulated sugar
150ml white wine vinegar
1tbsp tamarind paste (optional)
500g firm fleshed pumpkin, or squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into rough 2cm chunks
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into rough 2cm chunks
2 ripe pomegranates, halved and the seeds scooped out
2tsp salt
400ml water

Gently cook the onion and spices in the vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes until soft, add the sugar, vinegar and tamarind and stir until dissolved. Add the pumpkin, apple, pomegranate, salt and water, cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring every so often. Most of the liquid should have evaporated by now, if not remove the lid and continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Spoon the mixture into sterilised Kilner jars, seal and simmer the jars covered in a pan of water for 20 minutes. Remove, leave to cool and store in a cool place.

Serve as you would Indian pickles, with grilled fish as a dip, or with cheese.