Recipe: Pumpkin rice bowl 黄金饭

I think it's not even anything new to long-time readers that I LOVE PUMPKIN. 

Alright, technically I love A LOT of food. Guilty as charged. :P 

But pumpkin will always be high up on the ranking chart. <3  

So I thought since Lunar New Year is coming soon right? I shall share with everyone an awesome recipe that you may consider putting on your reunion dinner menu! 

I call it the 黄金饭, golden pumpkin rice bowl. Very auspicious name right?! :D 

Actually because I don't have fantastic Chinese vocabulary for those 4 letters or 8 letters chim-chim chinese names. :P 

Because pumpkin rice is too mainstream. We do it with an element of surprise. 

Basically stuffing an entire pumpkin with pumpkin rice! The you give it a good steam and tadah~ ready to be served. ^^ 

It's like opening up a treasure box. 

With all the jewels, golds and diamonds (rice, lup cheong, peanuts and many more!) pouring all out in front of you! 

Ingredients:

2 cups rice

Pork belly, cut to thin stripes (the second time, we replaced it with sio bak!)

Dried mushroom (soaked overnight), cut to thin stripes

Lup cheong, sliced 

Dried shrimps

1 dried cuttlefish (optional), cut to thin stripes

Peanuts, handful 

2 tbsp cooking oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 small onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp of premium dark soy sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce

water

1 whole pumpkin

Cut off the top of the pumpkin  and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.

Method:

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok and fry garlic, onion until golden brown

2. Add in sliced pork belly and fry until they are just cooked on the surface. 

3. Add peanuts, dried mushroom, dried shrimps and dried cuttlefish. Stir fry for about 2 minutes. 

4. Add uncooked washed rice and stir fry for another 2 minutes or when well mixed.

5. Add dark soy sauce and light soy sauce, mix well. 

7. Transfer contents from the wok into the prepared pumpkin. Wrap the pumpkin with a layer of aluminium foil. Steam the pumpkin for an hour in a steamer. 

8. Serve and enjoy while it is still hot! ^^

It really isn't as complicated as it's look ya? ^^

For more CNY related recipes look under my recipe tab and stay tune for more upcoming recipes yo~

Love,

Lirong.