Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
Sake and Soy-Braised Kabocha Squash
Kabocha, which translates from the Japanese as “pumpkin,” is a variety of winter squash originating in Japan. Short, squat and green with light mottling and stripes that run from top to bottom, kabocha is orange on the interior, with sweet flesh that is slightly starchy and quite dense. In the Japanese kitchen, it often is cut into chunks and simply braised with soy sauce and a little sweetener (here we use mirin). We add a small measure of toban djan (a spicy Asian chili-bean sauce) as a flavor accent. Look for toban djan sold in jars in the international aisle of the grocery store or in Asian markets. If it’s not available, chili-garlic sauce is a fine substitute.
4 to 6
Servings
Don’t bother peeling the entire squash. Just shave off the areas of skin that are very bumpy and scarred using a sturdy vegetable peeler. With cooking, the skin becomes tender and soft enough to eat.
30 minutes
Ingredients
Directions
-
01In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, combine the sake, mirin, soy sauce and ⅔ cup water. Add the squash pieces, peel side down, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until a skewer inserted into the squash meets just a little resistance, 15 to 17 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the sesame oil, chili-bean sauce and 1 tablespoon water; set aside.
Pardon the interruption
You need to be a Milk Street Digital Member to see the full recipe
JOIN MILK STREET DIGITAL & PRINT
12 WEEKS FOR JUST $1
and get access to all of our recipes and articles online, as well as in print.
GET DIGITAL & PRINT