Breakfast of Champions Asian Style: Kabocha Porridge with Sesame Oil Fried Eggs

I LOVE porridge, risotto, grits, anything in that comforting soupy realm is all good.  Growing up in a Taiwanese household, we didn't eat egg mcmuffins, waffles, or pancakes for breakfast.  We ate porridge.  It is so comforting to me to eat a warm bowl of porridge with some eggs or veggies on the side during the cold winter mornings.  Gives me the strength to face the day, well at least until lunch. ><

So this is my favorite winter time breakfast: a simple Kabocha Squash (Japanese winter squash) porridge with a side of pan fried eggs over medium.











There are two hidden ingredients that makes this meal so delish: sesame oil and white pepper.

Any self-respecting cook of Asian cuisine should have these two items in their pantry at all times.

Sesame oil has a very strong rich flavor that just resonnates "Asia" so be careful...a little goes a long way!

White pepper powder gives just enough heat and slight punch with almost a curry-like flavor as well.  It's warming and not as invasive or sharp as cracked black pepper.


TIP: get the white peppercorns instead of the powder.  Freshly cracked white peppercorns are so much more potent so you need a lot less than the packaged powder.








Quick note about the following recipes: all the ingredient measurements are just approximates to taste and preference.

Kabocha Porridge
1 cup of raw rice cooked in 3 cups of chicken stock (about 1 hour)
OR
1 cup of cooked (day old) rice cooked in 2 cups of chicken stock over medium low heat saucepan for about 10-15 minutes
* Cooking time is dependent on your preferred consistency of the porridge.  The longer you cook it, the more the rice breaks down in the porridge and the thicker it gets.

When the porridge is about 5 minutes to preferred consistency, cut  the Kabocha into 1 inch bite size pieces and drop into porridge to cook the remaining 5 minutes.
* To see if Kabocha is cooked through take a toothpick or chopstick and stick it through a piece of the squash.  If it goes through easily then it's done.

Pinch of salt and crack of white pepper to taste.

Fried Eggs in Sesame Oil
Add about a teaspoon of cooking oil and a half teaspoon of sesame oil to a nonstick pan over medium high heat.  When you see a little smoke coming off the pan and the oils move easily across the pan, crack 1 or 2 eggs into the pan.

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and when you see a slight brown edge forming, flip the egg(s) over with a spatula.  Cook for another minute, turn off the heat, and remove eggs from the pan.  Sprinkle more salt to taste.

If you like egg yolks more runny then only cook the eggs for a 15-30 seconds after the flip.  The idea behind a good fried egg is to get that brown crisp edge.

Mushroom Squash Risotto

Risotto is one of my favorite comfort foods, and this particular risotto is inspired by Autumn.  The rich, creamy, warm texture and use of sweet squash and sage makes me glad, heck almost giddy that the leaves are turning and motivates me to bring out my sweaters and boots.

Risotto can be a bit intimidating if you’ve never made it before, but it’s really quite simple.  Essentially its small grains of rice that you cook over the stovetop, the only difficult aspect is the attention it needs.  This is not a dish to be left unattended, you have to nurse it and stir in constantly, preferably with love. <3

Cook Time: 45 min              Yields: 4-6 Servings

o      1 ½ cups              Arborio Rice

o      2 cups                  Any Winter Squash peeled & cubed into bite size pieces

o      2 cups                  Mushrooms sliced, any variety will do

o      ¼ cup                   finely minced Shallot

o      2 teaspoons         fresh Thyme leaves

o      2 teaspoons         fresh Sage leaves chiffonade

o      6 cups                  Low-Sodium Chicken Stock/Broth (preferably homemade)

o      2 tablespoons     Unsalted Butter

o      2 tablespoons     Olive Oil

o      ½ cup grated       Pecorino Cheese

o      ½ cup                  dry white wine

o      Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, heat up the chicken broth over medium-high.  Meanwhile, peel, scrap out the seeds, and chop the squash into bite size pieces. When the broth comes to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the squash.  Let the squash cook for about 5 minutes then remove with a slotted spoon or spider and put aside.  Turn the heat off and cover the saucepan to keep the broth warm.
2. In another large saucepan, melt 1 ½ tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and add the minced shallot.  Pinch of salt to help the shallots soften and sweat.  Add the mushroom, thyme, and sage to the pan and let the mushrooms cook until they brown, about 7 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (Initially moisture will come out of the mushrooms, let it cook off and evaporate, then the mushrooms will start to brown)
3. Add the Abrorio rice to the mushroom mixture and mix so that the butter and olive oil coat the rice.  Pour in the wine and simmer for a couple minutes for the alcohol to cook off.  Add one ladle full of the broth and stir until the rice absorbs it.  Repeat until the rice is tender, with a slight bite in the middle.  Stir in the squash, remaining ½ tablespoon of butter, grated Pecorino cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. The overall consistency should be rich and creamy, but there is subjective personal preference.  If you want it to be looser, add a little more broth.  Serve immediately topped with a couple sprigs of thyme and sage.

I served it here with a roasted rack of lamb…I feel comforted already.