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Pumpkin Rice Recipe With Coconut Milk
5 from 12 votes

Pumpkin Rice Recipe With Coconut Milk

Pumpkin Rice with Coconut Milk combines pumpkin, rice, and aromatic spices like turmeric and biryani masala cooked together with coconut milk for a rich, creamy texture. The vegetables are softened before rice cooking, resulting in tender pumpkin pieces nestled in flavorful, fluffy rice. This mildly spiced dish balances sweetness from pumpkin and richness from coconut milk.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
20 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 286 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Indian

Ingredients

  • 250 gm pumpkin 2 cups, raw
  • 1.25 cup rice 210 gm
  • 2 tablespoon ghee desi variety
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 medium yellow bell pepper
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 fresh green chili
  • 2 tablespoon coconut milk
  • 5 piece black pepper whole
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon veg biryani masala
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice fresh
  • 2.5 cups water
  • salt as per taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. While you wash, dry, and chop vegetables, you may rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. I prefer soaking the rice in water for about 20-30 minutes.
  2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan or a wok, heat ghee over medium-high heat. Add cumin, chopped onions, garlic, and green chilies. Once onions are transparent, add pumpkin and other veggies.Let the vegetables cook on a simmer with a lid for about 10 min or till they become fork-soft. Keep sauteing to avoid vegetables sticking to the bottom of the pot or wok.
  3. Add spices and mix well. Add tomatoes and cook for another 5 min.
  4. Add coconut milk and cook for 2 min. Add the rinsed (and drained) rice to the pan. Stir it well to coat the rice with the spices. Add salt to taste and mix everything together. Pour in enough water (usually a 1:2 ratio of rice to water, when cooked in pressure cooker. Here it's 1:2.5) to cook the rice. Stir well. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice simmer for about 15 minutes or until the rice is almost cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
  5. Once the rice is done, fluff it with a fork. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley. Your Pumpkin Rice is ready to be served. Enjoy it as a flavorful and aromatic side dish or a complete meal on its own.

Notes

  • Rinse rice thoroughly before cooking to remove excess starch and prevent stickiness.
  • Soak the rice for 20-30 minutes to improve texture and reduce cooking time.
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot or wok to avoid burning and sticking of rice.
  • Turn off heat just before rice is fully cooked and let it rest covered for 10 minutes for optimal fluffiness.
  • Adjust water ratio to rice carefully; 1:2.5 cups water to rice is used here for stovetop cooking.