Ingredient Spotlight: Kabocha Squash

Kabocha is a Japanese pumpkin that is extremely sweet and is used in many Japanese dishes such as oden and tempura. It's also used in cakes and other sweets.

Full of beta carotene, iron, vitamins, and other good stuff, kabocha is extremely good for you. It's also smaller than most winter squashes, so it's perfect for single servings or small households.

Food anthropologists have determined that squashes originated in Mesoamerica. Kabocha was brought to Asia by the Portuguese.

When buying kabocha, choose squash that are heavy for their size. The rind should be dull and firm with no soft spots. The light-colored bumps on the green rind are normal.

(Image: Kathryn Hill)

Comments (3)

I love this squash - I lived in Korea for two years and made lots of lovely pumpkin dishes from them - including a delicious pumpkin pie. As it turns out, that 'pumpkin pie' was the best I ever made - I highly recommend this delicious, sweet squash as better pie filling than butternut squash or pumpkin. Give it a try.

posted by fib on July 29th 2008 at 8:39am
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I too loooove this squash and have fond memories of my mom cooking it up to put in my brother and I's school lunches. Ohhhh the looks we got around the lunch table when we pulled out our tupperware filled with cubed kabocha...

posted by Mikki on July 29th 2008 at 9:25am
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This squash is one of the most delectable winter squashes around. In the Northeast it is in season in the autumn. Is it seasonal elsewhere right now?

Similar to the Ambercup, if you prepare it like this it is like vegetable candy:

http://www.izzyeats.com/2007/11/tale-of-two-squashes-butternutambercup.html

posted by izzy's mama on July 29th 2008 at 10:03am
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