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 servings
Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients: 1 pound 1 pound mussels cleaned and debearded; 1 cup 1 cup butternut squash cubed; 1/2 cup 1/2 cup kimchi roughly chopped; 1 cup 1 cup jasmine rice uncooked; 2 cups 2 cups chicken broth; 2 2 garlic cloves minced; 1 1 lemon halved; a handful a handful fresh cilantro chopped; 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons olive oil; to taste salt; to taste pepper

An enticing blend of flavors bringing warmth and comfort.

Category Main Course

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 25 minutes

Style Fusion

Technique Simmering

Diet Friendly Pescatarian

Daily recipe · October 09, 2024

A little about this dish

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
2 garlic cloves — 2 — minced
1 lemon — 1 — halved
A handful fresh cilantro — a handful — chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil — 2 tablespoons
Salt — to taste
Pepper — to taste

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.

A final fox tip

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!