Best Japanese Kabocha Pumpkin Recipes

KABOCHA SQUASH PIE (JAPANESE PUMPKIN PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stir the graham cracker crumbs together with the flour in a mixing bowl. Mix in the soy butter until the mixture is crumbly. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture. Pour in the soy milk, and stir to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
• Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Fit the crust into a 7 inch diameter pie plate. Use a fork to poke holes in the bottom.
• Bake the crust in the preheated oven until pale gold, about 15 minutes. Cool on a rack.
• Pour about 1 inch of water into the bottom of a pan. Place the kabocha into a steamer basket fitted into the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and steam the squash until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Cool.
• Place the kabocha into a blender or bowl of a food processor, and blend until smooth. Stir the tofu, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the kabocha mixture, and blend until very smooth. Pour into the prepared crust.
• Bake in preheated oven until center is set, about 20 minutes. Do not overbake or the filling will crack.

ROASTED KABOCHA (JAPANESE PUMPKIN) SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F / 175°C.
• Cut kabocha in half, scoop out seeds and membranes, and set aside.
• Prick the kabocha flesh with a fork, brush with olive oil and place face down on a baking dish. Bake for about 40 mins at 350F/175°C or until tender.
• While the kabocha is roasting, clean and dry the seeds (as best you can) and toast them in a dry pan on med-high heat for about 5 minutes or until nicely golden brown and set aside. Alternately, you can bake them in the oven for about 10-20 minutes at 400F / 200°C.
• In a large pot, saute sliced onion in butter until soft.
• When the kabocha is soft, carefully (it's hot!) scoop the flesh in chunks out of the skin and add to the pot with onions. Alternately, you can wait for it too cool or roast it already peeled.
• Add the bouillon powder, water and cinnamon, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Cover the pot to keep it from splattering.
• Pour the mixture into a large bowl. In batches, puree the mixture in a blender (only fill about 3/4 or less full), and add it back to the pan. If you have an immersion blender, even better, and you can just puree it all in the pan.
• Stir in the milk and heat gently over low heat, stirring frequently. Mix in salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls and top with toasted seeds.

JAPANESE (KABOCHA) PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Cut pumpkin in half. Clean out seeds and rinse leaving the skin on. Cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a large pot over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Add pumpkin and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once. Continue to simmer another 10 minutes or until done. Pumpkin is done when it is easily pierced with a fork or toothpick. Do not overcook or the pumpkin will become mushy.
• Dried shrimp, ebi, can be found in the oriental section of most supermarkets. You can use shrimp bullion or fish stock instead.
• Nutrition information: Calories 70, Fat 2 g., Cholesterol 6 mg., sodium 97 mg. 1 bread exchange. ww points 2.

JAPANESE PUMPKIN SOUP (KABOCHA SOUP)

Steps:

• Cut pumpkin into large blocks and remove seeds.
• Place pumpkin on a plate and heat in microwave for one minute.
• Slice pumpkin thinly.
• Heat butter in saute pan and cook onion slices until softened (not brown).
• Add pumpkin slices to the pan and saute.
• Add chicken bouillon and water and simmer vegetables until softened.
• When cooked, whirl the vegetables and broth in a blender or food processor until smooth.
• Return to the pan and add milk.
• Heat the soup over low heat.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

KABOCHA (JAPANESE PUMPKIN) PIE WITH A COCONUT FLOUR CRUST

Steps:

• COCONUT FLOUR PIE CRUST:.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In medium bowl, beat butter, eggs, and salt together with a fork.
• Add coconut flour. Mix well, until there are no clumps.
• Gather dough into a ball, then pat it into a 9-inch greased pie pan.
• Prick dough with a fork several times.
• Bake for 9 minutes, then let cool.
• PIE FILLING:.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large bowl whisk egg.
• To puree pre-roasted squash, use a food processor, electric mixer or blender. Peel off and discard skin. Depending on size of device used, puree squash in small batches to avoid lumps. Puree should be smooth and slightly silky.
• Add heavy cream and kabocha puree to the bowl; mix well.
• Add coconut flour; mix until there are no more lumps.
• Add spices, sea salt and sweetener of choice; mix well.
• Pour mixture into premade pie crust.
• Carefully place pie on middle rack in oven.
• Bake 20-30 minutes or until a fork inserted into center comes out clean.
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes.