phad fak thong

Fried Pumpkin with Pork.

This is a very original Thai dish which seems to be forgotten.

The recipe is passed to me by my Step-Granny. Generally, Thai would fry the pumpkin with egg and that’s all. My Step-Granny showed her creativity by adding black pepper which, to me, helps the dish becoming more interesting and tasty.

Cooking Fired Pumpkin is not difficult. The key is to use a very good & fresh pumpkin – Thai pumpkins are highly recommended. (I, once, used to try with the Japanese pumpkin – it did not taste as good.) Thai pumpkins are naturally sweet and firm - they are very popular using in many Thai desserts which I will cook and then write recipes later when I am in the mood to or feel like to.)



Pumpkin is a wonder veggie (hmmmm not sure if the pumpkin is categorised into fruit or vegetable – to me they can be both.) as being a yellow veggie, it contains Beta-Carotenes - rich in vitamins: A and C and is an excellent source of fiber. It contains considerable amounts of zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, folate, vitamins E and B6, niacin, thiamin and pantothenic acid.

Find below “Stir-fried Pumpkin with Pork”

1 cup of Pork, cut into strips
2 cups of Pumpkin, diced or cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Eggs (Optional)
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil (Extra light and mild)
2-4 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon of Sugar

Paste
1 Teaspoon of black Pepper
1-2 of Coriander roots, cut
1-2 Cloves of Garlic

Coriander leaves for Garnish



Preparation

• put the black peppercorns, garlic and coriander roots in a mortar and pound until fine, or blend in a food processor, set aside

• heat the wok/cooking pan on medium heat
• add olive oil
• add the paste (mixed of coriander root, garlic and black pepper)
• stir-fry the paste till aromatic
• add pork, stir-fry till the pork is almost cooked through
• add soy sauce, sugar
• add a little bit of water
• add pumpkin, stir gently to mix well
• cover with a lid for 4-5 mins, check if the pumpkin is cooked through
• remove into a serving plate
• sprinkle with coriander leaves
• serve with streamed whole-grain rice