Pumpkin Rice

I wanted to eat something good. Something really good. After a few days of hospital food and "chap fan", I really needed to eat something good!

Let's see, what do I have in the fridge? A few sad wedges of pumpkin (leftover from the week before), lots of frozen meat in the freezer and some lap cheong in the chiller. There's also some Basmati rice in the pantry and the best thing to cook is a one-dish meal.

I had defrosted and marinated the meat and left it to stand to room temperature while I prepared the other ingredients. I was still very weak and tired but I had to cook to feel alive again. Luckily, this is a simple dish. And thank God for the rice cooker!

It was well worth the effort. Best meal that I had in days hah...hah... and no, I'm not blowing my own trumpet. This is a really, really good and hearty one-dish meal. 

I know, I know, the carbs! But hey, I am recovering from dengue and I have to keep my nutrition up. This is not the time for dieting! I am really glad I ate something good. Burpppp.....

Pumpkin Rice

Recipe source : Phong Hong

Ingredients :

- 2 cups uncooked Basmati rice, washed and drained

- 3 cups water

- 300g pork shoulder loin, cut into cubes

- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

- 2 tablespoons light soya sauce

- 1 tablespoon fish sauce

- 1 tsp dark caramel sauce

- 300g pumpkin, cut into small cubes

- 6 shitake mushrooms, soaked and cut into cubes

- 2 tbsp dried prawns (hae bee), soaked, rinsed and drained

- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

- 1 Chinese sausage (lap cheong), casing removed and finely sliced

- chopped spring onions

Method :

1. Marinate the pork shoulder loin with garlic, oyster sauce, light soya sauce, fish sauce and caramel sauce. Set aside for 1/2 hour.

2. Heat oil in wok and saute sliced Chinese sausage until lightly browned. Dish out and set aside.

3. In the same oil, add minced garlic and saute until fragrant.

4. Add dried prawns and continue to fry until lightly browned and fragrant.

5. Add marinated pork and mushrooms. Add some water and simmer for about 20 minutes.

6. Add rice, fried Chinese sausage and pumpkin.

7. Give it a stir to mix and transfer everything into rice cooker

8. Add 3 cups of water and cook the rice as usual.

9. Once cooked, add chopped spring onions and serve hot.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Eileen of Eileen's Diary.