Sake-Steamed Kabocha Squash With White Miso
- Total Time
- About 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound kabocha squash (about half a medium squash), seeds removed
- 3tablespoons white miso
- 6tablespoons sake
- 3tablespoons canola oil or mild vegetable oil
- 6small dried red chile peppers
- Kosher salt
- 1teaspoon sesame oil, optional
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
144 calories; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 326 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Using a vegetable peeler, peel squash very lightly, still keeping it green at the edge. Cut squash lengthwise into 1-inch-wide wedges, then cut the wedges crosswise into ¼-inch slices.
- Step 2
In a small bowl, combine miso and 3 tablespoons sake, stir and set aside.
- Step 3
Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium. Add chile peppers and let them sizzle, then add squash and stir to coat. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Spread out squash slices in one layer and cook gently without browning for about 3 minutes. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of sake and cover with lid. Allow squash to steam for about 2 minutes more, until it is just cooked through.
- Step 4
Add miso-sake mixture and sesame oil, if using, carefully combining to coat squash slices without smashing or breaking them. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold.
Private Notes
Comments
I agree; kabocha squash can be hard to peel. I hate to admit this to this crowd so instead I scrub the outside thoroughly with a vegetable brush or plastic "scrubbie," scrape off any thickened or discolored bits with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler (you need a strong one), cut it up and cook it. In my experience the skin doesn't have a strong texture or taste and might even have some vitamins. Or use a sharp knife instead of a peeler to cut away thin slivers from the outside.
For me the hardest part of this recipe was peeling the squash. I followed the recipe exactly and the squash was cooked to a texture where it was soft but not mushy. I think it's important to follow the recipe exactly with regards to the cut size of the squash and the timing of the cooking. Next time I will cook the squash in 2 tablespoons of oil instead of three. I thought it was a bit oily. I served it alongside of some buckwheat noodles.
Choose kabocha squash the way Japanese do: 1) it should be heavy, which usually translates into fresh and sweet, and 2) it should have few blemishes on the skin.
The Japanese often eat the skin. Just scrub it well before hand, and shave away the blemishes before cooking.
Left over squash can be simmered in just enough stock (dashi or vegetable) to cover, a few TB each of mirin, soy sauce, and sake and a half cup of sugar. Drain most of liquid before eating. It is also good hot or at room temp.
I used 1.5 lbs kabocha, peeled lightly. I decided to cook in 2 pans to fit in all the slices at once. I used 1 nonstick and 1 cast iron. I only had 1 lid, on the nonstick. By the time that squash was soft, and the lid was free to put on the cast iron, those squash slices had browned a bit. I found both versions yummy! I used a total of 4TBSP avocado oil, plus 1.5 teas sesame oil, 8TBSP shaoxing cooking wine, and 4TBSP miso. Nicely salty, and not too oily, actually rather dry , but yummy
I feel like this recipe would benefit greatly with the addition of some kind of a sweetener. Either brown sugar or a bit of molasses might pick it up. Perhaps even a bit of acid like lime or lemon.
For folks struggling with peeling the squash: the squash need not be peeled. Kabocha skin is not only perfectly edible, but often quite pleasant to eat.