Pork Stew with Yellow Split Peas and Pumpkin | Hearty Autumn One-Pot Meal

Rinse the yellow split peas thoroughly under cold running water, then drain. Trim the pork shoulder and cut it into 2-3 cm cubes. Finely chop the onion and garlic, and peel, deseed, and cut the pumpkin into cubes of the same size as the meat.

Melt the lard in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until translucent. Remove from the heat, quickly stir in the sweet paprika, then add the diced pork.

Return the pot to the heat and sear the meat cubes, stirring constantly, until they turn white on all sides. Stir in the crushed garlic, bay leaves, and ground caraway, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour in about 200 ml of water, cover, and simmer over low heat for 35-40 minutes until the meat is half-tender.