Squash Rice Porridge

Yield: 4 servings

Squash Rice Porridge is a traditional Ukrainian delight. I think it is also good with some brown butter.

Ingredients

• 700 grams pumpkin/squash, 500 grams peeled; Ulrike: Butternut, cut into 2 cm chunks
• 150 grams short-grain rice, washed; Ulrike: Milchreis*
• 1 heaped teesp, salt
• 700 ml water; Ulrike: milk, 1,5 % fat
• 100 ml whole milk
• 1 teasp. vanilla extract
• 20 grams butter
• 50 ml honey or maple syrup plus extra to serve
• evaporated milk, to serve, Ulrike: low-fat milk, optional

Method

1. Put the pumpkin/squash into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is very soft. After 10 minutes add the rice ant salt to the pan and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the rice is just cooked.
2. Add the milk and vanilla extract, thenn mash the pumpkin into the liquid with a potato masher. Cook the porrigde for another 10 minutes, stirring so it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan – add a spash more water or mil if it starts looking dry.
3. When the rice is soft and the porrigde is thin and reamy, stir through the butter and honey or maple syrup.
4. If you feel like the porridge could be sweeter, drizzle over some extra honey or syrup once it is in the bowl. Serve the squash rice porridgewith evaporated milk, if desired.

total time: 1 hour
preparation time: 15 minutes
cooking/baking time: 40 minutes