Vegetable and Mushroom Dishes
Kabocha no Nimono (Japanese Simmered Kabocha Squash)
Kabocha no nimono (かぼちゃの煮物, simmered kabocha, also called Japanese simmered pumpkin) is a Japanese home dish of kabocha chunks simmered in dashi with sugar, mirin, sake and soy sauce until soft, with part of the skin left on. Kabocha is the Japanese name for the green-skinned winter squash with sweet, floury flesh that Western shops sometimes label Japanese pumpkin. You pack the pieces skin-side down in one layer and simmer them under a drop lid for about 15 minutes in very little liquid. Hands-on time is about 30 minutes, and the pan then needs 15 to 20 minutes off the heat, which is when the pumpkin actually takes up the seasoning. Serves four as a side with rice, grilled fish and miso soup.
