Pumpkin Fried Rice with Ginger

Golden ginger lends a touch of zing to rice grains and slices of tender pumpkin. Simply toss together a handful of seasonal ingredients to create this fresh take on fried rice.

I’ve done quite a bit of experimenting with cranberry recipes in my kitchen, but when it comes to pumpkin, I usually pick plain and simple pumpkin pie over anything else. Until this month I had posted just three pumpkin-based recipes here at Swirls and Spice.

But pumpkin has a delicious savory side that is worth exploring too. Soups and stir fry dishes in Vietnam often feature this friendly squash. We enjoyed them both, as well as stir fried pumpkin leaves, when we lived there in years past.

This fall I am bucking the pumpkin dessert trend once again and offering something savory instead. Pumpkin fried rice makes a great vegetarian entree topped with cashews or pine nuts. Or serve it as side dish that goes well with poultry, barbecued meat, pork, or seafood. In fact I’m craving shrimp to pair with this fried rice at the next opportunity.

And don’t leave out the shallots–even if you have to ask where to find them. They enhance the dish tremendously, with their savory caramelized richness adding unbeatable flavor to the pumpkin.

Have you ever tried a savory pumpkin recipe?

Pumpkin Fried Rice with Ginger

Servings: 4 to 6
Time: 25 min
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Ingredients:

4 cups leftover cooked rice, chilled or at room temperature
3 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated, divided
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 Tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 +1/2 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into thin, bite-sized slices
1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, optional
2 Tablespoons shallots, diced
3 Tablespoons cooking oil, such as avocado oil or coconut oil, divided
sea salt, to taste

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots, followed by pumpkin slices and 1 teaspoon of the grated ginger. Saute for several minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth and turmeric; let simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid has mostly evaporated and pumpkin is slightly tender but not mushy. Transfer cooked pumpkin slices to a bowl and set aside.
Pour remaining 2 tablespoons oil into warm wok and heat over medium-high heat. Fluff and gently separate rice grains with a fork and spatula before adding rice to wok. Add remaining ginger and green onions. Toss rice with ginger, green onion, and oil until evenly mixed. Let rice heat for 1 to 2 minutes until sizzling. Then stir rice and continue to heat through for 1 to 2 minutes. Add cooked pumpkin and soy sauce. Stir occasionally until pumpkin, rice, and soy sauce are evenly distributed. Season with sea salt and additional soy sauce to taste. Serve hot.

I share recipes here and at Allergy Free Wednesday.