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BAM 40: Ikura Don (Salmon Roe Rice Bowl), Shitake and Green Onion Osumashi and Salad.

BAM 39: Teriyaki Chicken, Okara salad, Daikon with Chirimen jyako and Rice.

BAM 38: Shake (Salmon) Rice, Satoimo and shimeji miso shiru, hiyayakko with komatsuna and salmon skin daikon oroshi

BAM 37: Sui-gyoza 3 (3 of 3)

BAM 36: Sui-gyoza 2 (2 of 3)

BAM 35: Cabbage Salad with Sesame Dressing, Suigyoza Soup, Eggplant and Bell Pepper Miso Stir fry and Rice

Matsutake Gohan

BAM 33: Yakiniku, Kimchi, Kimchee, Soy Bean Soup and Rice

BAM 32: Wafū Pasta 3: Sansai (Mountain Vegetable) Pasta

BAM 31: Nasu no Tuskemono (Fast and Easy), Turkey Hijiki Niku Dango (Meat Ball), Negitama (Egg and green onion) Miso Soup and Rice

Cooking Perfect Stove Top Japanese Rice (Update)

BAM 30: Okonomiyaki (American-Kitchen)

BAM 29: Okonomiyaki (Buta Tama) (Easy Breezy)

BAM 28: Classic Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki (Buta tama)

BAM 27: Hiyashi Chuka

BAM 26: Southern-Japanese Build-a-Meal featuring Fried Chicken with Umeboshi Honey Dipping Sauce, Tofu Macaroni Salad and Okara Cornbread

BAM 25: Vegan Build-a-Meal Nagaimo Pancake, Lemon Daikon, Myoga and Red Potato Miso Soup and Rice.

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Cooked Kabocha-Japanese Pumpkin/Squash

Friday, May 14th, 2010
Kabocha no cha cha cha
Kabocha no cha cha cha
Cha cha cha kabocha no cha cha cha!

Anyone know Omocha no cha cha cha? It’s a children’s song that just popped into my head as I was thinking about kabocha. Kabocha is a cute vegetable. It's round and bright orange on the inside. Who wouldn't like it?

Kabocha is a very versatile squash/pumpkin. I’m not really sure if I should call it a pumpkin or squash but kabocha translates to both so I’m just going to call it a pumpkin from now on. It can be used in many sweet or savory dishes such as soups, salads, breads or pies. I introduced it in the first miso soup recipe but today I’m going to introduce it in the first okazu (side dish) recipe.

Hoka hoka Kabocha Half a small kabocha chopped
Ingredients for sauce:
1/4 cup of dashijiru (1/4 teaspoon of hondashi with 1/4 cup of water)
2 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon mirin
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of koikuchi shoyu (soy sauce)*


*You can also substitute salt and koikuchi shoyu with 1 teaspoon of usukuchi shoyu. (See Different Types of Shoyu (Soy Sauce). If you use koikuchi, you want to use a little as possible to preserve the natural color of the kabocha.

1) Cut and wash kabocha. Be sure to use a sharp knife and be very careful when cutting kabocha because it is very hard and difficult to cut.
2) Mix the sauce ingredients and add to a pot.
3) Add the kabocha to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Most of the sauce should evaporate.
4) Transfer into a glass bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Microwave strengths vary so you may want to test your microwave by microwaving for 1.5 minutes first. Don’t remove the plastic but look through the plastic to see if it looks done and if not, microwave another 30 seconds to a minute.
5) Let stand in covered bowl for 1 minute but don't steam for too long or it can get mushy.

The kabocha should be hoka hoka and have a consistency similar to chestnuts. If you prefer your kabocha to have a wetter consistency, add more of the sauce and finish in the pot.

Combine the sauce and kabocha in the pot and simmer until most of the sauce has evaporated but be careful not to burn the sauce.
Kabocha in the pot

Transfer to a microwavable bowl and cover with plastic.
Kabocha into the microwave

Ready to eat.
Kabocha and 2 little fishes

tags: Soy Sauce  Kabocha 
Tag List
tags (categories)
Soy Sauce [25]
Dashijiru [23]
Rice [19]
Daikon [14]
Egg [14]
Vegan [13]
Sesame Seed Oil [12]
Katsuobushi [11]
Chicken [11]
Kyuri [9]
Shiso [9]
Mayonnaise [8]
Miso [8]
Tofu [8]
Shoga [8]
Sake [8]
Cabbage [7]
Garlic [7]
Beef [7]
Vegetarian [7]
Pork [6]
Miso soup [6]
Vinegar [6]
Mirin [6]
Age [5]
Umeboshi [5]
Carrots [5]
Carrot [5]
Green Onion [5]
Hakusai [5]

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