A duo-tone stoneware bowl filled with vibrant orange pilaf, topped with half-open dark mussels, scattered with green herbs and red kimchi flakes. A squeeze of bright yellow lemon sits at the bowl's edge for an enticing pop of color.

Fusion Mussels with Butternut Squash and Kimchi Pilaf

Name: Fusion Mussels with Butternut Squash and Kimchi Pilaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients: 1 pound mussels, 1 pound cleaned and debearded; 1 cup butternut squash, 1 cup cubed; 1/2 cup kimchi, 1/2 cup roughly chopped; 1 cup jasmine rice, 1 cup uncooked; 2 cups chicken broth, 2 cups none; 2 garlic cloves, 2 minced; 1 lemon, 1 halved; a handful fresh cilantro, a handful chopped; 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons none; salt, to taste none; pepper, to taste none

Category Main Course

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 25 minutes

Style Fusion

Technique Simmering

Diet Friendly Pescatarian

Daily Recipe: October 09, 2024

Presenting a beautiful dish merging Mediterranean and Asian flavors with seasonal, fresh ingredients. Our main ingredient are the beautiful mussels, complemented with autumn-sweet butternut squash and piquant kimchi.

Ingredients (for 2)

1 pound mussels - 1 pound - cleaned and debearded
1 cup butternut squash - 1 cup - cubed
1/2 cup kimchi - 1/2 cup - roughly chopped
1 cup jasmine rice - 1 cup - uncooked
2 cups chicken broth - 2 cups - none
2 garlic cloves - 2 - minced
1 lemon - 1 - halved
A handful fresh cilantro - a handful - chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil - 2 tablespoons - none
Salt - to taste - none
Pepper - to taste - none

Preparation

Step 1 - 🥘🔥🧄

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and sauté 2 minced garlic cloves until fragrant.
Step 2 - 🍚🥄🔁

Add 1 cup of uncooked jasmine rice to the pot, stir until coated with oil.
Step 3 - 🍲🥕🌶️

Pour in 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of cubed butternut squash, 1/2 cup of roughly chopped kimchi, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
Step 4 - 🥘🔝🦪

Once simmering, arrange 1 pound of cleaned and debearded mussels on top of the rice, cover the pot and reduce to low heat.
Step 5 - ⏳🍚🦪

Allow the dish to cook for about 20 minutes, or until rice is tender and mussels have opened. Discard any unopened mussels.
Step 6 - 🍋🌿🔥

Just before serving, squeeze fresh juice from 1 halved lemon over the dish and sprinkle with a handful of chopped fresh cilantro. Serve hot.

Additional

Did you know that mussels are a great source of lean protein? They are also rich in vitamins and minerals, contributing to a healthy diet. For a vegan alternative, replace chicken broth with vegetable broth and add a variety of colorful vegetables. Little ones can help with preparing the butternut squash cubes and squeezing the lemon!