Butternut Squash Raisin Rice

Sunday, August 4, 2013 | Adzele at 6:06 PM |

This is my new favorite.

1/3 cup of grape seed oil
2 table spoon of turmeric
1 tea spoon of salt
1 tea spoon of black pepper
1 tea spoon of oregano
1 tea spoon of minced garlic
1 tea spoon of minced ginger

*4 cups of rice, washed
3 to 4 cups of water
1 to 2 cups of cut butternut squash (depending on how much you like them. I will suggest to start with one cup)
1/3  cup of red onion or scallion to bring in a green color if you like
1/3 cup of raisin (or 1/2 cup, again according to your preference and taste)
3 table spoon of grape seed oil (or olive oil, if you don't have it)

In a large pan, put 1/3 cup of grape seed oil and add the onion and the seasonings to the ginger. Mix well until onion begin to caramelized. * (Optional) Take your rice out, cover it with water in a large bowl and wash it and drain out the water. Add the rice to the pot and stir well. (Do not add water yet) Continue to stir until the rice is well mixed in and begin to cook. About 5 minutes. See if the rice is taking a nice yellow color and taste it to make sure it is nicely salted (think of it as frying the rice rather than cooking it). Then add 3-4 cups of water according to the need of the type of rice you have. When you add the water you should hear some sizzle. Stir well for couple minutes then turn the heat down to medium to low and cover the pot, for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut your Butternut squash to pieces and the red onion to small pieces. I usually buy the chop pieces in a box at Trader Joe, you can also find it at Whole Food. Look for it where ever you shop.  In a frying pan, add the oil, onion and the butternut squash. Let it cook and stir every now and then. You just want the onion to cook a little bit, not fully caramelized and still crunchy. You don't want the butternut squash to get mushy. It is cut into small pieces so, stir lightly and cook for 5 to 10 minutes at medium heat. Add the raisin, mix well , turn off the fire and set aside.

Now, check on the rice, stir it from bottom up, make sure it is cooking evenly. Check to see if it is done by squeezing a grain between too fingers. If it is hard, stir the rice and cover for another 5 at low heat. Add water if needed. You do not want the rice to over cook because you will need to mix in the butternut squash mixture and the rice cannot get too mushy in the process. Also, check to make sure it is well seasoned, so check it and adjust seasoning to your liking. When rice is done, (it should not take too much over 20 to 25 minutes), mix in the butternut squash mixture. Mix well, from bottom up of the rice pot. Cover, turn off, and dinner is ready.



* How to wash rice African Style.
Back home we had to first check the rice and make sure that it did not have husk or stone in them. Then you cover it with water and rub them between your hands until you feel that you have rubbed them enough. Drain the water of the rice and repeat, until the water is as clear as it can.  This what my uncle used to refer to disapprovingly as 'taking the vitamin out of the food'...well mostly when we clean meat over and over by rubbing it with cut lemon and pouring vinegar over it.
Back to the rice, now I only clean it sometime, and when I do, I just cover it with water in a bowl, rubbed it between my fingers with one hand. then I will drain the water and rinse it up one more time.  I may be wrong but I think, this process takes a little bit of the starch off. That is what I like to think anyway.