Coconut Pumpkin Rice

You will need:

1 tbsp oil
half a medium onion finely chopped
2 leaves chives – finely chop
2 cloves garlic crushed
230 g pumpkin diced into
approximately 1 cm cubes
2 sprigs thyme or 2 large broad leaf
thyme
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
200 ml coconut milk, about half a can
195 g basmati rice rinsed well (or any
other rice you wish) salt to taste

Method:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and on a medium heat sauté the onions and the chives until soft. Add the garlic, pumpkin, thyme, ground black pepper and mix well. Add the coconut milk and simmer gently with the lid on for around 20 – 25 minutes until the pumpkin is soft. Add the onion and chive sautee along with the thyme sprigs. Use a potato masher to mash the pumpkin in the coconut milk. Add the rice and stir. The coconut milk should completely cover the rice, if not then add a little water such that the level of the liquid is about 1 cm above the level of the rice.
Return to the heat, bring to a gentle simmer. Put the lid on the saucepan and cook for 10 minutes until the rice is cooked. Try not to stir it until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
If you get to a point where you feel the rice is cooked but there is still too much liquid then remove the lid. Season with salt to taste.
Tip: Basmati and Jasmine rice cook much faster than the rice we use. You will have to add more water if you are using a rice that takes longer to cook.