Japanese Pumpkin Squash Kabocha

StuAblett

OK, here is another quick, easy and oh so very tasty little dish.

The Japanese Kabocha (said Ka-Bow-Cha) is more like a squash than what we think of as a pumpkin, in fact it is much like a butternut squash, only richer and sweeter, yep it is :bigsmile:



That is what is looks like, it is HARD and dense, so take some real care cutting it, if you buy a whole one. I usually buy a quarter of one, and just use that.

I scoop the seeds and mess out, then I wash it really well, the skin, when cooked is totally edible and does NOT taste bad at all, plus, it is loaded with good stuff for you!

I cut it into slices about 1/2" thick, I like this thickness, it is thin enough to cook fairly quickly but thick enough to still handle when cooked without it turning into mush.

I add about 1/4 cup of sake (a nice dry white wine is good too!) and 2 tbsp of Mirin.

On medium-low heat, I cook with the lid on the frying pan for about 10 minutes, you will see the Kabocha change color when it is cooked, it sort of looked dry in the start, now it looks wet, if that makes sense

I add a bit of water to the pan if it starts to dry out, you don't want it completely reducing until the Kabocha is cooked. When you see that it is cooked (it will mash real easy with a fork) then let the liquid reduce and move the pieces around the pan, to get the caramelized liquid all over them, it is very tasty!

125 Cal -- Kabocha 350g
70 Cal -- Mirin 2 tbsp
80 Cal -- Sake 1/4 cup*
====================
275 calories

This makes three servings, trust me you cannot eat all 350g of this, well at one time that is it is just simply so sweet and so rich. I'll round that up to 280 divide by 3 is well, lets just say 95 calories and call it good :drinker:

This is a great side dish, and like I said it is sweeter than butternut squash, and oh so very rich, like candy almost :happy:

It is also loaded with vitamin "A" and other good stuff for you , 0g of fat too!

Quick, easy, simple and oh so tasty!


Yummy!

It kind of tastes like Sweet Potato Pumpkin...... if you can imagine that


Here it is with some watermelon

I hope these are some different ideas coming at you from all the way over here in Japan, I think you can get the Kabocah or Japanese Pumpkin Squash in the US etc, but I am not sure.

Cheers!

July24Lioness

That looks really, really good!!!

StuAblett

That looks really, really good!!!

Thanks, but it tastes even better :bigsmile:

zanniew

You can certainly get this kind of squash in NY & MA, at least, and in FL, too: good ol' Whole Foods Mkt carries it, since it's a macrobiotic standard, and often farmers' markets have it too. It's sometimes called "buttercup." If you're going to eat the skin, try to buy organic.

Samantharose8akaDebbie

bump

PLUMSGRL

I've seen this critter a the whole foods store, just didn't know what to do with it!
Thanks!
Bump

skywalker

Tag... Looks yummy, Stu. :drinker:

StuAblett

It "Was" :bigsmile: