Caribbean Pumpkin Rice

Caribbean pumpkin rice is jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk with calabaza squash, garlic, tomatoes and fresh thyme. Half the pumpkin melts into the rice and turns it golden, and the rest stays in tender pieces. It all comes together in one pot in under an hour.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Caribbean, Guyanese / Caribbean

Keyword calabaza rice, Caribbean pumpkin rice, coconut pumpkin rice, metemgee, pumpkin rice

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 438kcal

Equipment

Large Skillet
Heavy pot with lid

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil
½ yellow onion (small diced)
4 large garlic cloves (grated)
2 tomatoes (Roma or any, diced)
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 lb calabaza squash (West Indian pumpkin, peeled, seeded and diced, about 300 g or 2 cups)
5 sprigs fresh thyme (leaves stripped, or 1 tablespoon Guyanese dried thyme)
2 cups jasmine rice rinsed (see note)
1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz)
1¼ cups water

Instructions

Melt the coconut oil in a skillet or pot over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the pumpkin and thyme. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the pumpkin is soft enough to crush with the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
Crush about half the pumpkin. Then add the rinsed rice, coconut milk and water, and stir well.
Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Scrape the bottom to loosen any stuck rice and give it a good stir.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Fluff with a fork and mix to combine all of the pumpkin with the cooked rice. Serve warm alongside your favorite stew or roast chicken.

Notes

Rinsing: Rinse until the water runs clear for a loose, separate pumpkin rice, or just 2 to 3 times for a creamier rice.
Rice: Jasmine is my favorite here, but any long-grain white rice works. Parboiled rice works too, but it usually needs a little more liquid and a longer cook time.
Servings: Makes about 6 cups cooked, enough for 6 to 8 as a side.
Heat (optional): add a few whole wiri wiri peppers or a whole Scotch bonnet to steam with the rice, then pop them open at the end for extra heat.

Nutrition