Know Your Produce: Kabocha
It’s Fall so that means it’s squash season. Since there are a gazillion types of squash out there (a scientifically accurate number), it might be difficult to know all the different types out there. Today we’re going to focus on kabocha.
Kabocha is Japanese for squash and is essentially a Japanese pumpkin. But you may be saying to yourselves, isn’t squash a native Mesoamerican plant? Why yes it is! Portuguese sailors brought kabocha to Japan in 1541 from Cambodia (where they had cultivated it). Luckily for us the Japanese have a penchant for the squash and put it in delicious, delicious tempura.
Kabocha is very similar to pumpkins so it’s very starchy and almost potato like in consistency. It’s also pretty sweet. This variety of squash is also super healthy for you and has a ton of beta carotene, Vitamin C, folic acid and fiber.
Cooking kabocha is super easy. If you don’t feel like making tempura, you can steam, roast, stuff or microwave the vegetable. Our favorite way to make it is to roast it with a little olive oil and salt until it starts to brown on the edges of the skin. We also like to mess with people and make a pie out of it instead of using pumpkin. You can usually find this squash at the farmers market, but nicer grocery stores will probably have it as well.
Tell us in the comments what your favorite winter squash is and why.
