Pumpkin is a delicious ingredient often used to prepare nutritious steamed dishes. In the following article, TasteVN will guide you on how to cook pumpkin by steaming it in 4 appealing ways: seafood steamed pumpkin, meat steamed pumpkin, egg steamed pumpkin, and lotus seed steamed pumpkin!
1. Seafood steamed pumpkin
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Processing
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Seafood Steamed Pumpkin Serves 2
Round pumpkin 1 piece (medium size) Tiger shrimp 50 gr Fresh squid 100 gr Pumpkin pieces 150 gr Water chestnut 50 gr Shiitake mushrooms 4 pieces Brown reishi mushrooms 50 gr Bell pepper 1/2 piece Oyster sauce 1.5 tablespoons Minced garlic 1 tablespoon Minced shallots 1 tablespoon
How to choose delicious seafood
How to choose fresh shrimp:
- Shrimp shape: Fresh shrimp have a straight or slightly curved body, while shrimp that have been left out will bend into a crescent shape.
- Legs and head of the shrimp: The legs and head of the shrimp that are still tightly attached to the shrimp body indicate fresh shrimp. Do not buy shrimp with detached heads or legs, or those that have turned black.
- Color and smell: Fresh shrimp have a bright, translucent color and a characteristic seafood smell. Do not buy shrimp that have turned a cloudy color or smell rotten.
How to choose fresh squid:
- Color: The brown spots on fresh squid will be dark, with a milky white color. When gently shaken, the squid appears shiny and iridescent. In contrast, spoiled squid looks very pale.
- Firmness: Pressing on the squid should show resilience and firmness, indicating fresh squid. Do not choose squid that is soft and slimy as this is spoiled squid.
- Squid tentacles: In fresh squid, the tentacles will be tightly attached to the body, with uniformly round and firm suckers.
- Squid eyes: The eyes of fresh squid look very clear, with visible pupils. In contrast, spoiled squid have cloudy and pale eyes.
How to prepare Steamed pumpkin with seafood
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Prepare and steam the pumpkin
Wash the pumpkin thoroughly, then use a sharp knife to zigzag cut near the top of the stem. Open the pumpkin lid and use a spoon to scoop out all the pumpkin pulp.
Prepare a steaming pot, add water to it, bring to a boil, then place the pumpkin in and steam over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Tip: Steam the pumpkin first before adding the filling to ensure even cooking of the ingredients.
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Prepare other ingredients
Peel the pumpkin and cut it into large cubes.
Clean the shiitake mushrooms, soak them until they expand, then cut them into thin strips. Keep the water used to soak the mushrooms for stir-frying the filling.
Peel the water chestnuts, wash them clean, and cut them into square pieces.
Wash and chop the cilantro.
Remove the seeds from the chili peppers and cut them into diamond shapes.
Clean the squid, drain it, score it in a crisscross pattern, then cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Shelled the shrimp, remove the heads and the black veins.
Mix the shrimp and squid in a bowl with 1.5 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate. Marinate for about 10 minutes to let the seafood absorb the seasoning.
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Stir-fry the filling
Heat the pan, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and minced garlic and onion, sauté until fragrant. Then, add the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry briefly, followed by the shrimp and squid, stirring evenly.
Season the stir-fry with 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning, the water from soaking the shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, reishi mushrooms, and chili peppers, and stir well. Cook on medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes.
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Steaming pumpkin
After stir-frying the filling, scoop it into the pumpkin, cover the steamer lid, and steam for another 10 minutes, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle a little cilantro on top of the pumpkin to finish.
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Finished product
Serve the pumpkin on a plate, and decorate it with some cilantro for an attractive look.
Steamed pumpkin with seafood harmonizes the aroma of mushrooms, the crunchy sweetness of fresh shrimp and squid, and the rich flavor of pumpkin, all creating a very appealing dish.
2. Steamed pumpkin with meat
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Steamed Pumpkin with Meat Serves 2 people
Pumpkin 2 pieces (small size) Ground pork 300 gr Carrot 30 gr Green onion 20 gr Garlic 10 gr Shallot 5 gr Cilantro 5 gr
How to Choose Fresh Meat for Grinding and Good Pre-Ground Meat
How to choose meat for making good ground meat:
- To buy meat for grinding, you should choose shoulder or belly meat which has both meat and fat for better flavor. If the ground meat only contains lean meat, it will be dry and unappetizing; conversely, too much fat will make it greasy.
- Choose pieces of meat that are bright pink in color, firm, and elastic when pressed. Do not buy meat if it appears mushy, has a pale color, a foul smell, or is exuding liquid, as this indicates that the meat has been stored for too long.
- Never buy meat if you see rice grain-like spots in it, as these could be tapeworm larvae which are very dangerous to health if ingested.
How to choose good pre-ground meat
- For pre-ground meat, also choose the type that has both lean and fatty parts, as this will make it more tender and delicious when cooked.
- Observe the pre-ground meat; it should have a bright color, no foul smell, and should not be slimy, indicating that it is fresh and good.
How to prepare Steamed Pumpkin with Meat
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Prepare the ingredients and marinate the filling
Carrots wash clean, diced finely.
Green onions wash clean, chopped small.
Garlic peeled, minced.
Shallots minced.
Cilantro chopped small.
You mix all the ingredients including: minced meat, carrots, green onions, shallots, garlic, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate in a bowl. Marinate for about 30 minutes for the meat to absorb the spices.
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Prepare the pumpkin
You wash the pumpkin clean, cut it horizontally near the stem, discard this stem part. Use a spoon to scoop out all the pumpkin flesh to make it hollow for stuffing.
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Steam the pumpkin
Add water to the steamer and bring it to a boil.
You scoop the meat filling into the two pumpkins, place the pumpkins in the steamer, cover, and steam for about 20 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked.
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Final Product
Steamed pumpkin with meat combines the fragrant, rich flavor of pumpkin with minced meat that retains its fresh, sweet, and rich taste.
This dish can be served as a main course in a family meal.
3. Steamed Pumpkin with Eggs
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Preparation
10 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Steamed Pumpkin with Eggs Serves 2
Pumpkin 1 piece (small round type) Eggs 2 pieces Shallots 5 gr Sausage 1 piece Green onions 1 stalk
Ingredient Image
How to Prepare Steamed Pumpkin with Egg
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Prepare the pumpkin
Wash the pumpkin thoroughly, and use a marker to draw a circle around the pumpkin.
Next, use the tip of a knife to cut along a zigzag line to split the pumpkin in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the pumpkin’s flesh to make room for the egg filling.
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Mix the egg mixture
Peel and slice the shallots. Wash and chop the green onions. Cut the sausage into small pieces.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them together with the green onions, shallots, sausage, 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper.
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Steam the pumpkin
Scoop the egg mixture into the prepared pumpkin, using the remaining part of the pumpkin as a lid.
Place the pumpkin in a steamer for about 20 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked.
Tip: To cook the pumpkin faster, you can steam the pumpkin for about 10 minutes first, during which time you mix the eggs and then place them into the pumpkin to steam for an additional 10 minutes.
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Final Product
When the pumpkin is freshly steamed, you spread a little egg on the surface to create a more beautiful color for the dish, eating steamed pumpkin with egg while it’s still hot is the best!
Steamed pumpkin with egg has a blend of creamy pumpkin and fragrant, rich chicken egg, making it extremely appealing.
4. Steamed pumpkin with lotus seeds
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
40 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Steamed pumpkin with lotus seeds For 4 people
Young pumpkin 4 pieces Lotus seeds 100 gr Peas 30 gr (split peas) Carrot 40 gr Green onion 1 stalk Fresh shiitake mushrooms 40 gr Coriander/chili cut into strands a little (for decoration) Seasoning/pepper a little
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh lotus seeds
- Instead of buying pre-peeled lotus seeds, you should buy the type of lotus seeds that you can peel and remove the heart yourself.
- Good lotus seeds are those that are mature, plump, with an off-white or deep yellow exterior, and have the characteristic fragrance of lotus.
- Absolutely do not buy immature seeds, those that are misshapen or bruised.
How to choose fresh tofu
- A good piece of tofu has an off-white color, while tofu made with gypsum usually has a yellower color.
- The surface of the tofu should be soft, and it should have a pleasant soy scent.
- Do not buy pieces of tofu that are somewhat hard and have a lime smell.
- Additionally, for safety and convenience, you can make tofu at home following TasteVN’s instructions.
How to choose fresh shiitake mushrooms
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms look like an umbrella, and should not be damaged. You should choose mushrooms that are of moderate size, with short stems, tightly cupped caps, and a slightly brownish color.
- Avoid choosing caps that are dark brown as they may be poisonous; however, you should also be flexible in your selection since shiitake mushrooms will also turn dark brown when cooked.
- Smell to appreciate the distinctive, natural aroma of the mushrooms.
Required tools
How to make Steamed Pumpkin with Lotus Seeds
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Prepare and steam the pumpkin
Buy the pumpkin with the stem intact, soak it in salt water for 10 minutes and wash it thoroughly several times, especially cleaning the skin.
Trim the top of the pumpkin, lift it off, remove the seeds inside and wash it clean.
Boil a pot of water over high heat, when the water is boiling, put the pumpkin in and cover to steam for 10 minutes, then take it out to cool.
Tip: To ensure that the dish turns out with a soft and fragrant pumpkin, you should steam the pumpkin before stuffing it.
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Prepare the remaining ingredients
Shallots are bought, cut at the roots, and washed thoroughly. The shallot greens are chopped finely, and the roots are sliced.
Peel the carrots, and wash the shiitake mushrooms with salt water.
Dice the carrots, mushrooms, and tofu.
Wash the lotus seeds and mung beans, boil until cooked, then drain.
How to prepare fresh shiitake mushrooms
- Method 1 (boil the mushrooms): Use a knife to cut off any dirty roots (if any), then boil the mushrooms in a pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes, then drain.
- Method 2 (soak the mushrooms): You can soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for about 1 – 2 minutes to clean off all the dirt and sawdust. Then rinse with cold water and cut off the mushroom roots to help clean away impurities. You can also wash the shiitake mushrooms with rice water to eliminate the strong smell and preserve the mushrooms’ natural flavor.
- Method 3 (wash the mushrooms): After cutting off the dirty parts at the base, soak them in diluted salt water for 2 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water.
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Sauté the filling
Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to a hot pan, sauté the white part of the green onion until fragrant, then add mushrooms and carrots, stir-frying for 3 minutes. Add the lotus seeds and cooked mung beans along with diced tofu to the pan and stir well to mix the ingredients together.
Season the dish with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/3 teaspoon of pepper, 1/3 teaspoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water, stirring well to absorb the seasoning. Finally, after adjusting the seasoning to taste, add the chopped green onion and stir for another minute before turning off the heat.
Tip: To reduce the strong smell of mushrooms, you need to sauté the filling until well-cooked before stuffing it into the pumpkin for steaming.
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Steaming the dish
Place the sautéed filling into the pumpkin, gently press down with the tip of the spoon to compact the filling, and add filling until slightly overflowing before closing the lid of the pumpkin.
Place the pumpkin into the steamer and continue steaming for another 25 minutes until the pumpkin is fully cooked.
Remove the pumpkin to a plate, garnish with a bit of cilantro and chili for a more visually appealing dish, and get ready to enjoy!
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Final Product
The dish is presented very attractively with the young pumpkin whole, stuffed with a colorful mixture of sautéed vegetables inside.
The pumpkin is soft and fragrant, served with stir-fried ingredients including crunchy carrots, sweet mushrooms, and the rich taste of lotus seeds.
This is a delicious and nutritious dish that has very simple ingredients and preparation methods, suitable for the menu of every Vietnamese family.
How to choose fresh and delicious pumpkin
- Delicious and quality pumpkins have a dark-colored skin, deep orange-yellow flesh, are firm, the outer skin is bumpy, irregularly shaped but feel heavy in hand, not bruised or scarred.
- Choose pumpkins that are round and have a flat base.
- If you are buying pumpkins for later use, choose those with a stem length of 2 – 2.5 cm, avoiding those without stems as they will spoil quickly and won’t be stored for long.
- Do not choose Chinese pumpkins, even though they are large and uniform, long fruits, with smooth skin, they feel very light in hand and are not sturdy.
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Hope you will succeed in making steamed pumpkin with seafood, steamed pumpkin with meat, steamed pumpkin with eggs, and steamed pumpkin with lotus seeds!
*Refer to the recipes and images from the Youtube channel Ut Van Mai Vang, Delicious Dishes Every Day, TasteShare
