Red Braised Green Pumpkin (Dong Gua)

Red Braised Green Pumpkin (Dong Gua)

Red Braised Green Pumpkin (Dong Gua) is a home-style vegetable dish at difficulty 2/5 (Easy). Red Braised Green Pumpkin is a home-style vegetarian dish with vibrant color, de. Ingredients and step-by-step instructions are below, with notes for home cooking.

Difficulty

2 / 5

★★☆☆☆

Easy

Ingredients

  • Green pumpkin (Dong gua)
  • Cooking oil
  • Cooking wine (e.g., Shaoxing wine)
  • Cornstarch
  • Light soy sauce
  • Dark soy sauce
  • Chicken powder (MSG alternatives like MSG are forbidden)
  • Scallions (Green onions)
  • Ginger paste
  • Oyster sauce

Steps

  1. Peel the green pumpkin and cut it into small pieces with a side length not exceeding 2 cm.
  2. Heat the wok over high heat, add oil, place the pumpkin in, and slowly stir-fry over low heat for 2 minutes until the surface turns golden yellow.
  3. Remove the pumpkin and set it aside in a large bowl.
  4. Using the remaining oil in the wok, add the ginger paste, light soy sauce, and oyster sauce in order, and stir-fry for 15 seconds.
  5. Add the pumpkin back into the wok, stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add boiling water until the water covers the surface of the pumpkin. Boil over high heat for 10 minutes.
  6. Add dark soy sauce for coloring and continue cooking until the pumpkin is soft and tender (a chopstick should easily insert into the pumpkin).
  7. Add chicken powder, cooking wine, and chopped scallions, stir-fry for another 30 seconds, and transfer the pumpkin to a large bowl.
  8. Keep the remaining sauce in the wok, pour in the cornstarch slurry (water starch), bring to a boil, and pour the sauce over the surface of the pumpkin.

Notes

Red Braised Green Pumpkin is a home-style vegetarian dish with vibrant color, delicious aroma, and fresh taste. The texture is soft and tender with rich flavor. It is one of the popular Chinese braised dishes. The pumpkin itself is rich in water, dietary fiber, and Vitamin C, helping to clear internal heat, relieve summer heat, and promote diuresis/swelling reduction. Paired with simple seasonings, it is nutritious and easy to digest. This dish is friendly to beginners with clear steps. As long as you master heat control and seasoning, the estimated cooking time is about 25 minutes.

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★☆
Estimated Calories Per Serving: 519 kcal
Category: Braised Dishes

Calculated Nutrient Breakdown Per Serving:
* Pumpkin: 300 g
* Cooking Oil: 50 ml
* Cooking Wine: 2 ml
* Cornstarch: 10 g
* Light Soy Sauce: 10 ml
* Dark Soy Sauce: 15 ml
* Chicken Powder: 3 g
* Scallions: 0.5 stalk
* Ginger Paste: 1 piece
* Oyster Sauce: 15 ml

If issues are found or improvements suggested, please submit issues or pull requests.

More in this category