While “kabocha” is the Japanese word for all kinds of winter squash, it actually means "gourd from Cambodia." The first kabocha arrived in Oita Prefecture on the ships of Portuguese traders in the mid-16th century via Southeast Asia — even though the squash originally comes from Mesoamerica. By the 17th century, it was widely cultivated around Kyushu and spread from there throughout the country.
Although kabocha squash is available year-round, it is particularly sweet and flavorful at this time of year.
This dish is classic washoku (Japanese cuisine). There are probably as many recipes for it as there are households that make it, but here I have adapted my mother's recipe, which cooks the kabocha in water instead of dashi stock and is flavored with just sugar, salt and soy sauce.
While delicious when served straight from the stove, stewed kabocha tastes even better after it has rested. If you have some time, cook it in advance, leave it to cool, and refrigerate it in the cooking liquid for up to three days.
Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
• 1/2 kabocha
• 7 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
1. If you have a whole kabocha, place it on a stable surface on top of a damp yet well-wrung kitchen towel to keep the kabocha from slipping. Insert a sturdy knife into it just to the right of the stem. Work the knife into the kabocha slowly, cutting it in half while holding it steady with your free hand.
2. Once the kabocha has been halved, scoop out the pith and seeds from both halves, then set one half aside. Cut the remaining kabocha in half again and remove any remaining bits of stem. With a vegetable peeler, shave down the green peel on the outside of the kabocha — this helps the flavors penetrate. Then, cut the kabocha into two- to two and a half-centimeter squares.
3. Place the kabocha pieces in a saucepan with the peel side up, then add enough water to cover them — when they start floating a bit, you have added enough. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat.
4. Turn the heat down to a simmer (about medium-low heat) and add the sugar, stirring gently with cooking chopsticks to dissolve it. Simmer the kabocha for 10 minutes.
5. Add the soy sauce and salt, and again stir very gently with cooking chopsticks to dissolve the salt. Take a piece of kitchen parchment cut or folded to fit within the saucepan, punch some holes in it, then place it directly on top of the simmering kabocha. Alternatively, you can use an otoshibuta (drop lid). Simmer for another 10 minutes.
6. Test for doneness by piercing one of the larger pieces of kabocha with a bamboo skewer. If it goes through easily, it’s cooked through. Serve in a bowl with some of the cooking liquid spooned over it.
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