Jamaican Pumpkin Rice
This rice dish is a surefire way to start the fall season right. A melange of rice, pumpkin, carrots, and a few spices, it’s an excellent side for any main dish. This dish is an authentic Caribbean fall recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups long-grain rice
- ⅓ cup onion (diced)
- 1 stalk escallion (crushed)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 sprigs thyme (optional)
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 cup pumpkin (cut into ½ inch cubes)
- ½ cup carrots (cut into ½ inch cubes)
- ¾ cup coconut milk (I used Grace coconut milk powder)
- 1 tbsp. Vegetable oil (or unsalted butter)
- 1 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Heat oil on a medium flame. In a large pot, saute garlic and onion for 1 minute.
- Add pumpkin and carrot to the pot. Stir for 1-2 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, escallion, and salt to the pan. Allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add washed rice and water to cover the rice. Allow water to boil down to just above the rice.
- Turn flames down to low heat. Cover rice and allow to steam for 10-15 minutes or until rice is soft and splits open.
- Serve with the desired side.
Notes
Notes for Making Pumpkin Rice
- Adding ½ teaspoon of turmeric or curry powder can help give more color to your pumpkin rice.
- I always recommend using fresh coconut milk for a richer flavor and aroma to your dish.
- You can keep it simple and use only pumpkin for this recipe. However, you can also add butternut squash as an alternative to pumpkin.
- Do not use frozen pumpkin, as it may lead to soggy rice. You can use pumpkin chunks if you can’t get a fresh pumpkin to purchase.
- Vegetable broth is an excellent substitute for water in this recipe.