Steamed Sweet Pumpkin with Egg
A Warming and Nourishing Steamed Egg Dish Filled in Sweet Pumpkin (Microwave Cooked)
As winter approaches, I’ve been frequently making this comforting steamed sweet pumpkin with egg to warm up from the inside out. It’s a delightful and easy-to-make dish perfect for the chilly season.
Ingredients
- Sweet pumpkin, 300-400g
- Eggs, 2
- Cocktail shrimp, 4-5
- Shiitake mushroom, 1
- Scallion, 1 stalk
- Fish stock concentrate or Tsuyu, 1 tsp
- Chili pepper, 1/2 (for a touch of spice, optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
1. Prepare the Sweet Pumpkin: Cut off the top part of the sweet pumpkin like a lid, then scoop out the seeds from the inside. If the pumpkin is too hard to cut, microwave it for 1-1.5 minutes (or up to 3 minutes for very firm pumpkins) to soften it, making it easier to handle.
Step 2
Here’s the pumpkin after the seeds have been removed, looking smooth and ready. Now, we’ll fill it with delicious ingredients. I’ve chosen cocktail shrimp for their lovely aroma and texture, shiitake mushrooms for their earthy flavor, scallions for freshness, and a bit of chili pepper for a subtle kick. Feel free to substitute the shrimp with imitation crab sticks or the shiitake mushrooms with carrots, depending on your preference.
Step 3
2. Make the Egg Mixture: Seasoning the egg mixture with fish stock concentrate or Tsuyu enhances its flavor and adds a savory depth without being overly salty. Adjust the amount based on the concentration of your Tsuyu. I used 1 teaspoon generously of a Tsuyu intended for soba. If you don’t have Tsuyu, you can season with salt at a ratio of about 1 pinch per egg.
Step 4
3. Fill the Pumpkin with Egg Mixture: When filling the hollowed-out pumpkin, pour in the egg mixture until it’s a little more than two-thirds full.
Step 5
Be careful not to overfill, as the egg mixture might bubble up and overflow when microwaved. Leave some space!
Step 6
4. Prepare the Filling Ingredients (Shrimp): Since the cocktail shrimp are frozen, briefly blanch them in boiling water for about 40 seconds to 1 minute. This helps to remove any refrigerator odors and freshen them up. Reserve about half of the shrimp for garnish, and finely chop the remaining shrimp for texture within the egg mixture.
Step 7
5. Chop the Other Fillings: Thinly slice the shiitake mushrooms, and finely chop the scallions and chili pepper.
Step 8
6. Add the Fillings: Add all the prepared filling ingredients, except for the reserved shrimp, mushrooms, and scallions for garnish, into the egg mixture inside the pumpkin.
Step 9
7. Initial Cooking (Partial Steaming): Microwave the pumpkin for about 2 minutes and 30 seconds. This step is to partially cook the filling ingredients and set the top layer of the egg mixture so it’s just barely cooked and still a bit liquid. (Cooking time can vary depending on the size of your pumpkin and microwave wattage. Instead of microwaving for the full time at once, it’s best to check the consistency every 2-3 minutes and add more time if needed.) For a 350g pumpkin, this time yielded a perfectly liquid-like top layer.
Step 10
8. Arrange the Garnish: Place the reserved shrimp, mushrooms, and scallions decoratively on top of the partially cooked egg mixture. This ensures the toppings stay on beautifully and don’t sink into the fully cooked egg.
Step 11
9. Final Steaming (Finishing): Cover the pumpkin with its reserved lid and microwave for another 3-5 minutes. The dish is done when the egg is puffed up and the lid starts to wobble slightly. (If you prefer to mix all ingredients directly into the egg mixture from the start, microwave a small pumpkin for about 8 minutes, or a larger one for about 10 minutes. It’s still recommended to microwave in 3-4 minute intervals to prevent overflow or bursting.)
Step 12
I microwaved mine for 4 minutes and 30 seconds, and it turned out wonderfully! It’s beautifully puffed and cooked through.
Step 13
10. Serving: You can enjoy this steamed pumpkin with egg directly with a spoon, savoring its soft texture. Alternatively, you can make a few slits around the pumpkin skin and gently open it up like a flower for a more elegant presentation.
Step 14
Enjoy this beautifully presented and delicious steamed pumpkin with egg! 🙂
