Pumpkin Rice in Memory

Credits: Si Hui, ZENXIN R&D Team

Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented a lot of loved ones from seeing each other at home. When homesickness beckons, this nostalgic savory pumpkin rice, taught to this writer by her mother is one very good treat to soothe the soul.

Key facts:

• Total: Overnight + 1 hour
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 414g of diced Organic Japanese Pumpkin
• 3 cups (370g) Natural Brown Rice
• 15g Organic Ginger
• 80mL Premium Grade Organic Soy Sauce
• A sprinkle Organic Spring Onion
• 2 tablespoons Hight Oleic Organic Sunflower Oil
• 1/4 cup (65g) Organic Dark Red Kidney Bean
• 7-8 pieces Organic Brown Shiitake Mushroom
• 420g Organic Enoki Mushroom
• 500mL Water

Method:

1. Wash and soak the brown rice, red kidney beans and shiitake mushroom for at least 3 hours before use. The red kidney bean needs to be boiled for 20 minutes before soaking.
2. Slice the ginger and mushroom. Remove the skin and seeds of the pumpkin, and then cut into 2 cm or 1-inch cubes.
3. Add some sunflower oil in the frying pan.
4. Fry the ginger until fragrant.
5. Add the shitake mushrooms, continue stir frying until the mushroom becomes slightly crispy on the outside.
6. Add the pumpkin and stir fry until it becomes slightly soft in texture.
7. Add brown rice, red kidney beans and soy sauce. Continue stir-frying for 10-15 minutes.
8. Add pumpkin rice mixture into a rice cooker and add water. Press the cook button.
9. Once the rice is cooked, serve it is hot with the toppings on!

Additional Toppings – crispy enoki mushroom:

1. Cut the enoki mushroom into 2 cm or 1-inch long strips.
2. Put Add the enoki mushroom into cold oil and fry with a small heat until it appears golden yellow in colour.
3. Filter the oil and you will get a crispy like mushroom. It can be used as a substitute for fried onion.

Additional Toppings – crispy shitake mushroom:

1. Wash and soak the mushroom before used.
2. Diced the mushroom.
3. Add 1-2 tablespoon(s) sunflower oil on the frying pan.
4. Add the mushrooms in and stir fry till  stir-fried it become crispy and nice aroma.