Pumpkin with Ginkgo Dessert

Pumpkin is never my favourite food. The only pumpkin dish that I love is Cream of Pumpkin Soup which I had in New Zealand 15 years ago. Few days back, I was having lunch at Naïve and the dessert of the day is Pumpkin with Sago. Wow, love it and didn’t know that pumpkin dessert can be so delicious. It had a little bit of coconut milk (my guess) and with tiny sago, it is just nice like Bubur Cha-Cha. If you wonder what Naïve is, it is a newly open modern Asian vegetarian eatery, check out the review here

That dessert inspired me to make this, thick and creamy pumpkin paste quite similar to Taro with Ginkgo Dessert (Orh Nee, a traditional Teochew dessert). You can even replace Ginkgo nut with fresh lotus seeds or water chestnuts bits. You can even design how you want to present this dessert to give it different touch. If you don’t really like Orh Nee ‘style’, just add more water and sugar to make it thinner to suit your preference. The amount of coconut milk used is minimal, so it might appeal to those who don’t like coconut milk or limiting the intake. And you can have it hot or chilled!

If you wonder what is that green thingy near the bowl - that is an environmental friendly toy leg-less grasshopper that I weaved using pandan leaves instead of young coconut leaf. Well, I had almost forgotten how to do it and I think it didn’t turn out well. Coconut leaf is the best material, using the midrib or mid vein to serve as something that kid can hold on or just stick them in pot of plants …

Preparation: 15 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-4)
° 350g pumpkin (weighed after peeling), peeled and diced
° 12 fresh ginkgo nuts
° 50ml coconut milk
° 180ml water
° 2 ½ tablespoons sugar, or to taste
° 3-4 pandan leaves (screwpine), tied into a knot

Method
1. Stream the pumpkin in a pot of boiling water or streamer for about 10minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain well and set aside.
2. Place the ginkgo nuts, water, sugar, pandan leaves in a pot and bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Removed the ginkgo nuts and set aside. Discard pandan leaves and stir in coconut milk.
3. Transfer to the pumpkin and coconut syrup to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
4. Ladle the pumpkin paste into individual serving bowl or plate. Garnish with ginkgo nuts.
5. Serve hot or chilled.