So, what’s so special about the kabocha squash (and any other type of squash really). We wonder what’s not to like about the squash and we really love to prepare healthy recipes for our families with it. So, we can find it thru a great part of the year. It then takes between one and three months to reach maturity. The kabocha squash is harvested in summer and autumn. It is mostly grown in Japan, Korea, Thailand and lately in the United States. It was imported by Portuguese sailors in 1541 from Cambodia, hence its name: “kanbojia”, transformed into”kabocha”. The kabocha that is used today has been developed in Japan. Originally, the majority of Cucurbita family comes from Mesoamerica, from Mexico to Costa Rica. It is the latter that we commonly find in majority on our kitchens. There are three varieties : Asian-not very sweet, and rather fragile, cucurbita pepo pumpkin or field pumpkin-which looks like a zucchinwe- and the Western pumpkin type. The kabocha weighs up to 4kg and is considered small compared to large pumpkins that could reach up to the giant weight of 1000+ kilograms, though you won’t really find these in your supermarket.
Kabocha squash skin#
It is a pumpkin with fir-green streaked skin and orange-yellow heart. This little green pumpkin has all the assets to become the star of the season in your kitchen. If the thin skin of the kabocha is green, its flesh is mostly orange-yellow in color. There is no strictly set difference between squash and a pumpkin, so mostly you can safely call the squash pumpkin and vice versa. Of course, you should not peel the butternut squash either, but the skin of butternut squash is definitely harder than that of kabocha squash and generally is not eaten.ĭid you know: What we usually call pumpkin is a type of winter squash. The best part is that the skin is entirely edible too, so you don’t have to peel it off before baking, grilling or simmering. The texture is smooth and creamy, but firm enough to roast, essentially a cross between a sweet potato and a pumpkin. Often called Japanese squash, kabocha squash is the sweetest winter squash variety we’ve come across, even sweeter than our other favorite types of pumpkin. It only takes a little extra effort, but the cinnamon and maple syrup perfectly fits into most meals and desserts. Or was it, too much of a good thing is never enough? -). Too much of a good thing is never good, as they say. The original traditional Japanese recipe for roasted kabocha squash is great on its own, but we like to add an extra touch of sweetness by roasting the squash with a little cinnamon and maple syrup.Īnd we only use a little of both to make the pumpkin slightly sweeter, but not too sweet, so don’t go overboard soaking the squash slices in a thick, sweet syrup! Or you can enjoy it as part of your healthy breakfast … pumpkin for breakfast? we’re all in ? In the past, we’ve made roasted kabocha which is just as delicious in salads, in cereal bowls or just as a healthy snack (dipped in tomato sauce).
![kabocha squash kabocha squash](http://www.warnerfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/kabocha_squash.jpg)
It’s creamy, sweet and slightly savory, honestly the perfect match for a wide variety of occasions! This Japanese roasted kabocha squash is one of our favorite winter squash recipes.