How to Make Pumpkin and Beef Porridge
Pumpkin and beef porridge is sweet and mildly fragrant, with a vibrant color and flavor that is particularly appealing to young children.
Ingredients
- 300g ground beef
- 1 pumpkin (~400g)
- 150g white rice
- 50g glutinous rice
- 1 piece of ginger
- Spring onions
- Cilantro
- Seasonings: fish sauce, seasoning powder, MSG, salt
Instructions
Preparing the beef
Rub the beef with salt and ginger wine to remove any odor, then rinse thoroughly and let it dry. Grind the beef. To ensure the beef remains tender, choose the tenderloin.
Marinate the cleaned beef with 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, a bit of oil, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix well and let the beef absorb the seasonings for at least 30 minutes.
Preparing other ingredients
Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and inner fibers, rinse it, and cut it into small pieces.
Trim off any dark or spoiled spots from the ginger, then rinse and finely chop it.
Clean the spring onions and cilantro, then chop them finely.
Rinse both the glutinous rice and white rice, and place them in a pot.
Cooking the pumpkin and beef porridge
Place the rice and pumpkin in a pot, add water (about 5 times the amount of water compared to cooking regular rice), and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover the pot and cook the porridge. You can use a rice cooker or pressure cooker to speed up the cooking process.
You can also cook the porridge separately and steam the pumpkin, then mash the pumpkin and mix it in with the beef when the porridge is nearly done.
Stir-frying the beef
Heat a small pan with over 1 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, sauté the chopped ginger until fragrant, then add the marinated beef. Stir constantly over medium heat to prevent the beef from burning or sticking to the pan. Stir-fry until the beef is evenly separated and not clumped together.
Once the rice and pumpkin are soft, mash the pumpkin with a ladle, then add the stir-fried beef and stir well. If you prefer to serve the beef separately, reserve some and sprinkle it over the porridge just before serving.
Adjust the seasoning to taste, using MSG, salt, and fish sauce for added flavor.
Finally, add the chopped spring onions and cilantro, and cook briefly until they lose their raw flavor. Keep the ground pepper aside to avoid making the porridge too spicy for children.
Serve the porridge hot and enjoy.
Pumpkin and beef porridge is highly nutritious, helping to boost the immune system and provide fiber, vitamins A and B, iron, zinc, and more. It promotes good health, improves immunity, and supports brain and vision development. It is also beneficial for relieving bronchitis and clearing mucus.
