Preheat the oven to 200 C. Toss the pumpkin and garlic cloves in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 mins in the top rack of your oven.
Once the pumpkin is tender, add to a blender jar. Squeeze out the garlic and add. Coarsely blend to a thick mash, adding a bit of water if necessary to loosen.
Toss the lamb with tomato paste, dates and all the spices listed above. Add to a pressure cooker with ½ cup of water. Cook until tender. Test a piece to see if it easily shreds. (Alternatively cook this in a covered pot. Check a few times in between and add more water in this case.)
Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat pieces and shred with your fingers.
Add the meat back into the pot and turn the heat up under the pressure cooker/pot. Let the meat juices in the pan reduce to a thick sauce. Just enough to coat the meat. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Divide the mash between plates. Top with the spiced lamb. Sprinkle over mint and pomegranate. Serve hot.