Recipe: Pumpkin rice pudding

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):

600 g pumpkin, skinned

100 g Yunnan ham, finely diced

100 g dried shrimp

6 dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms, soaked

Salt and pepper

1 cup rice flour

2 cups water

Method:

1. Grate the pumpkin and set aside.

2. Pick through the dried shrimp to remove any hard bits of shell or the occasional grit.

3. When the mushrooms are softened, dice them.

4. Heat up some oil in a deep frying pan and stir-fry the dried shrimp, diced mushrooms and Yunnan ham until lightly fragrant.

5. Add the grated pumpkin and toss to mix.

6. Add the water to the rice flour and stir well. Pour this slurry onto the grated pumpkin mixture and stir over medium heat until thickened.

7. Pour mixture into a well-oiled baking tray and steam over high heat for an hour, making sure you replenish the steamer with plenty of hot water to keep the water level from going dry.

8. Let cool after steaming so the rice pudding settles and hardens. Slice and serve hot.

9. If you like, you can also cut up the rice pudding and fry the slices so they crisp up along the edges.

Food note:

This is a very typical Fujianese snack. Pumpkins, or golden melon, are very much a staple vegetable along the coastal regions of south China and used widely in the cuisine. This golden pumpkin cake is prepared during festivities, such as the Lunar New Year, the birth of a grandchild or the birthday of a venerable member of the family.