This is the dinner for Wednesday and Thursday in my “My Gut-Friendly, Balanced, What I Eat Series” — the series where I share with you all the meals Grandmaster Lim, my source for gut health and ancient East Asian wellness techniques for my body, crafted together for me to eat throughout the week. I had asked him to help me put together recipes with which the ingredients are easy to access for most (aka not only Korean food which most of my recipes are comprised of). All of these ingredients are thoughtfully paired to provide energy and/or be balanced, nutritious, or gut-friendly.

Why This Kabocha Rice?

This meal is also a great meal for energy. It’s a good dinner choice because the next day, my face isn’t swollen and it usually swells pretty easily (usually eating foods late at night causes inflammation the next day). Kabocha Pumpkin is great at preventing diabetes, high in fiber and Vitamin A, and heavy in antioxidants.

Ingredients (for 2 days):

• 1 small Kabocha pumpkin

• 2 chestnuts, roughly chopped

• 4 dates, pit taken out and chopped

• 1 dried persimmon, roughly chopped

• 1/4 cup of raw rice (mixed grain or white) OR 1 cup of sticky rice

• water

Materials:

• large cheesecloth (to place the Kabocha pumpkin on top of so it’s easy to pull out)

• mittens (to wear when you pull the Kabocha pumpkin out of the pot because the steam will be very hot and you can burn yourself)

Directions:

• Since we’re going to be eating the outside too, wash the Kabocha pumpkin. Cut the top of the lid and remove innards and seeds.

• Cut up chestnuts, remove the seeds of dates and cut up, and cut up 1 dried persimmon

• Place the dates on the bottom, add then add in rice, chestnuts and dried persimmon, in that order.

• Add just enough water inside the pumpkin to just cover the surface of the rice, or else it is too much and will take too long to cook. Add enough water to the bottom of the pot to steam.

  • If using raw rice: steam for about 40 minutes until the rice is fluffy and pumpkin is cooked.

  • If using cooked rice (I recommend this method because it’s easier): steam for about 30 minutes until the pumpkin is cooked.

• Cut up in 4 pieces and serve! Save some for the next day.