How could I resist a pumpkin-related nutrition article this week? Predictable I know, but tasty and high ranking on the nutrition front. The vibrant orange color of the flesh is an indication of the high beta-carotene content--this vitamin is converted to vitamin A in the body, and is a potent anti-oxidant. It is also important in immune and eye health. Pumpkins also contain plenty of potassium, which is important in maintaining good blood pressure, and they are relatively low in calories so make a good alternative to potatoes or sweet potato.

As a non-American, I wouldn't dream of suggesting pumpkin pie recipe, but here are some other suggestions for what to do with the scoopings from your lantern.

Pumpkin soup is an easy and ever-popular lunch. I take a pretty basic approach -stew the pumpkin with some stock, a little olive oil, garlic, saffron and black pepper for about 20 minutes until tender then blend to desired consistency. Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt and some chopped roasted hazelnuts atop.

Pumpkin seeds seem to be pretty difficult to get hold of in Beijing--so "making" your own is a cunning idea. Set the oven a 150 degrees C. Toss the cleaned seeds in a drizzle of rapeseed oil and a little salt, spread out on a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes. Shell and eat as a snack, mix in with breakfast cereal or scatter over a salad, these are a good source of zinc and healthy fats.

My favorite recipe is baked pumpkin risotto - this is a cheat's risotto that bypasses the usual stirring rigmarole. Put 2 cups short grain/ risotto rice, 1 finely sliced red onion, 500g pumpkin cut into chunks and some sprigs of thyme into a shallow oven proof dish. Pour over 5 cups of stock and a splash of white wine. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 190 degrees. Just before serving, stir in 1 cup of grated parmesan and a small knob of butter, season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle over some chopped parsley. Of course, a Chinese take on this dish would be pumpkin congee (nan gua zhou), less highly flavored and of course more watery than risotto, but a good winter warmer and could even make a passable breakfast option. It is widely available in congee restaurants.

I have found pumpkin (nan gua) to be one of the few Chinese dishes that are served simply steamed or boiled and unadulterated with other ingredients, so this could be a good accompanying dish for those wanting to avoid the usual heavy spice and oil in Chinese cooking. For a sweet mid-afternoon pumpkin pick-me up, try nan gua bing--a sticky rice sweet pumpkin cake available in many larger Chinese restaurants and bakeries.

For pumpkin fixes in Beijing restaurants, I would highly recommend the kimchihobak at one of my favorite restaurants--Saveurs de Coree (Korean) on Nanluoguxiang. This is a fried kimchi and pork dish, which comes served in a chunky steamed pumpkin boat that is carved at your table. I also enjoy the pumpkin soup at Nuage (Vietnamese restaurant) by Houhai. This is a decadent creamy affair served in a hollowed out pumpkin. I usually find I can't manage much more after polishing off a bowl of this.

This nutrition-related column is written by Nina Lenton, a qualified dietitian living in Beijing and working at Bayley and Jackson Medical Center. Contact her at nina.lenton@ikang.com

(China Daily 10/24/2007 page14)