Pumpkin and minced meat multigrain porridge

For an interesting twist on porridge, use multigrain instead of white rice.

A friend recommended a brand of multigrain that comprises brown rice, oat, sorghum, buckwheat, wheat, barley, millet, pearl barley, pearl rice, black glutinous rice and Gordon euryale seed.

This is a savoury porridge. To add flavour, I used stock boiled from pork bones and chicken bones.

The different grains give the porridge a chewy bite and texture that is more interesting than the usual rice porridge.

The black glutinous rice gives the porridge a slightly purplish hue.

Use pumpkin as it is sweet and its tenderness provides a nice contrast to the chewy grain.

I will admit, I was afraid the porridge would be too "healthy-tasting" for my liking, so I added minced meat and fried ikan bilis.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 rice cups of multigrain
• 2 large pork bones and one chicken carcass
• 3.5 litres of water
• 200g pumpkin, cubed
• 150g minced meat
• 60g ginger, halved
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt

Marinade for the minced meat:

• 1 tsp Chinese wine
• ½ tsp cornflour
• Dash of pepper

Garnish

• Spring onion
• Coriander
• Fried ikan bilis

METHOD

A TNP PHOTO: HEDY KHOO

1. Wash the multigrain and set aside. (A)

2. Marinate the minced meat.

3. Blanch the pork bones and chicken carcass. Discard the blood water.

4. Bring the 3.5 litres of water to a boil and put in 30g of ginger, the garlic cloves, pork bones and chicken carcass. Boil for two hours.

5. Strain and pour 2 litres of the stock into a separate pot. Bring to a boil.

6. Add in the multigrain and remaining ginger. Boil for an hour. Add more stock or water if the porridge gets too thick.

B TNP PHOTO: HEDY KHOO

7. Place the pumpkin in the porridge and boil until almost tender. (B)

C TNP PHOTO: HEDY KHOO

8. Add the minced meat and stir. Bring the porridge to a boil. (C)

9. Season with salt.

10. Serve hot garnished with spring onion, coriander and fried ikan bilis.