There are days when I crave vegetables. My mother makes this simple dish of sauteed pumpkin, shiitake mushrooms and chicken. It is a healthy and nutritious meal for any season. If pumpkin is not in season, you can also substitute it with another hearty root vegetable.

This recipe is rated easy and takes approximately 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless chicken breast

1.5 lb pumpkin (We used kabucha in this recipe demonstration.)

8 dried shiitake mushrooms

3 large slices of ginger, julienne

5 cloves of garlic

1 large onion, diced

3 stalks of scallion for garnish

soy sauce

sesame oil

chicken bouillon powder

extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

salt

sugar

ground pepper

a few stalks cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions

Re-hydrate the dried shiitake mushroom.

Scrub the head of the shiitake to clean of any impurities. Remove the stem from the mushroom.

Thinly slice the mushroom on a diagonal.

Thinly slice the pumpkin and microwave in a covered bowl on high with a few tablespoons of water for 3 minutes. This method of par cooking the root vegetables cuts down the actual cooking time on the stove.

Slice the garlic.

Thinly slice the chicken breast against the grain to make it easier to chew.

Marinate the chicken for 5 minutes with the following:

1 tablespoon of chopped onion
¼ teaspoon of pepper
¼ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of sugar
¼ teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder

Marinate the mushrooms for 5 minutes with the following:

½ teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder
½ teaspoon of sugar
¼ teaspoon of ground pepper
¼ teaspoon of sesame oil

Cut the scallions into 2 inch segments.

Heat a pan on high with 2 tablespoons of EVOO and 1 tablespoon of diced onion.

When the onions become translucent, brown the chicken.

Add ¼ cup of water. When the outside of the chicken are cooked, removed from the pan.

In another pan, add 1 tablespoon of EVOO and 1 tablespoon of chopped onions. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Add ½ a teaspoon of soy sauce and ¼ cup of water to the pan. Mix to incorporate the ingredients.

Next add 1 tablespoon of garlic slices and ½ tablespoon of julienne ginger.

Mix well and add the chicken back into the pan. Remove from the heat.

Heat a different pan with 1 tablespoon of EVOO and 7 slices of garlic. When the garlic are brown, add the pumpkin, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of sugar and close the lid. Let the pumpkin steamed for 5 minutes.