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Featured Comment:
“Delicious and super fast / easy if you have the ingredients on hand.”
– Hester (from Pinterest)
What is Kabocha no Nimono?
“Kabocha no Nimono” (かぼちゃの煮物) is a simmered dish made with bitesize pieces of kabocha cooked in a dashi-based broth seasoned with Japanese condiments such as soy sauce, sake and mirin. “Nimono” is a popular Japanese home-style cooking method and can be used for a variety of root vegetables, meat and fish.
Kabocha works particularly well for nimono since the soft flesh absorbs all the flavors of the broth, creating a delightfully soft and flavorful side dish. The skin is often left on, which adds to its visual appeal with its deep green appearance. The skin is packed with nutrients and stops the kabocha from falling apart during and after cooking.
How I Developed This Recipe
Kabocha no Nimono is a classic and comforting dish in Japanese home cooking. When developing this recipe, my aim was to stay true to its authentic roots, capturing the essence of what makes this dish a beloved staple in many Japanese households.
To achieve this, I focused on fine-tuning the seasonings, ensuring that they enhance the kabocha’s natural flavors. The goal was to bring out the warmth and gentle sweetness of the pumpkin, creating a dish that’s both comforting and subtly flavorful.
I invite you to try this recipe and enjoy a taste of traditional Japanese home cooking. It’s a simple yet hearty dish that embodies the homely qualities of Kabocha no Nimono!
Ingredients You Will Need
- Kabocha – The star of the dish! When selecting kabocha, try to choose one with bumpy skin and a slightly dried stem. These are matured and have a sweeter and better flavor. You could also make nimono with other varieties of squash such as butternut squash or acorn squash if they are easier to find.
- Dashi Broth – Choose from simple awase dashi or vegan dashi. For quicker options, instant dashi granules or packets are perfectly suitable.
- Mirin – Also known as “sweet rice wine,” this condiment adds depth of flavor and sweetness to the dish. Be sure to use “hon mirin” for the best flavor and not “mirin-style seasoning” (fake mirin).
- Sugar – For added sweetness, I prefer to use light brown cane sugar to avoid making the dish overly sweet. You can adjust the amount to suit your tastes.
- Soy Sauce – One of the main flavors of the dish and adds a salty, umami-rich flavor to the dish. I recommend sticking with Japanese brand soy sauce such as good quality and affordable Kikkoman Soy Sauce.
- Sake – A Japanese rice wine used for both drinking and cooking. When added to the dish, it adds depth and a subtle bitterness that works in harmony with the soy sauce and mirin, creating a balanced flavor that can’t be beat!
This dish might already appear to be suitable for vegans and vegetarians, but be careful when choosing your dashi stock since they often contain fish (bonito, sardines, etc). When making this dish plant-based, use shiitake dashi, kombu dashi or a mixture of both (plant-based awase dashi).
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Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsVisual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Kabocha no Nimono at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
Start by cutting the kabocha in half (or quarters, depending on how much you want to make) and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Cut the kabocha into large bitesize pieces, leaving the skin on. Try to keep the sizes uniform to ensure even cooking.
Place the kabocha down flat so it doesn’t roll when you cut it, and be sure to use a sharp knife to cut it smoothly with less force.
Take a large saucepan, wide enough to fit the kabocha in one layer. Place the kabocha pieces at the bottom of the pan with the skin side facing up.
Add your choice of dashi stock to the pot and place it on the stove over medium heat.
Once the dashi begins to boil, add the sugar, mirin, sake and soy sauce, and allow to boil for 2 minutes.
Lower the heat to a simmer and place the drop lid on top so that it is in direct contact with the surface of the kabocha. If you don’t have a drop lid, you can use a piece of foil or baking paper.
Using a drop lid helps the broth disperse more evenly around the kabocha. It also stops the kabocha pieces from moving around in the broth and breaking. To learn more about how to make a drop lid and why we used them, check out my Otoshibuta post.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until you can pierce the kabocha with a fork. Check occasionally and be careful not to overcook.
Kabocha nimono can be served either hot or cold. Enjoy as a nutritious side dish, also a great addition for bento boxes!
Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsTips & Tricks
- Cut the kabocha in halves or quarters first so that at least one edge is flat. This will stop it from rolling when you cut it.
- Use a sharp knife. Kabocha is very hard when raw and a sharp knife is actually safer since you can cut using less force.
- Try and cut each piece to the same size so that they cook evenly.
- Leave the skin on to stop the kabocha from breaking.
- Use a wide pan so that you can make one layer of kabocha. It shouldn’t be stacked or overlapping, as this will cause some pieces to be undercooked.
- Using a drop lid promotes even cooking and flavoring.
- Check the softness after 10 minutes of simmering; it is easy to overcook kabocha.
How to Store
Kabocha no Nimono can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Leaving it in the broth will make it deteriorate faster so it is recommended to discard the broth before storing.
You can also freeze it for up to one month. Divide into smaller portions and wrap with plastic wrap, then store in a freezer bag or airtight container to protect it from freezer burn.
Frozen simmered pumpkin can be defrosted in the fridge. If serving in a bento, it is recommended to add it frozen so that it can thaw at room temperature and stay cool until it is time to eat.
Kabocha no nimono can be eaten both hot or cold so there is no need to reheat unless that is your preference. Reheating is not recommended since it can cause the texture to become too soft, but if you prefer it hot, microwaving is the best method.
Storage summary
Room temperature – Not recommended.
Refrigerated – Discard broth and store for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Frozen – Discard broth and wrap. Freeze for up to 1 month.
FAQ
Kabocha (かぼちゃ) is a type of winter squash, and the most popular kind of “pumpkin” available in Japan. Although it is often known as “Japanese winter squash” or “Japanese pumpkin”, kabocha originated from Cambodia and was introduced to Japan in the mid-1500’s by Portuguese sailors.
Over time, kabocha was modified through selection, leading to the kabocha as we know it today. Known for its edible dark green skin and bright orange flesh which boasts a sweet, creamy texture, kabocha is an ingredient that goes well in both savory and sweet dishes.
Kabocha are typically harvested in the summer, but because they can be stored for a long time, they can be enjoyed throughout autumn and winter. In fact, if you store the whole pumpkin without cutting it, it will last for several months.
It is for this reason that kabocha holds an important place in Japanese cuisine and culture, and traditionally would be eaten as a source of nutrition during the winter months when crops couldn’t grow. It is even a Japanese tradition to eat kabocha on the day of the winter solstice, where it was believed to bring good health throughout the colder months.
Since the texture is very hard, it is recommended to use a sharp knife and cut the kabocha into halves or quarters first so that you can lay it flat on one side and prevent it from rolling.
I hope you enjoy this Japanese Simmered Pumpkin recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Kabocha Recipes
- Kabocha Korokke (pumpkin croquettes)
- Spiced Kabocha Loaf Cake
- Tempura Batter (kabocha is perfect for tempura!)
Japanese Simmered Pumpkin (Kabocha no Nimono)
Ingredients
- 450 g Japanese kabocha squash skin-on
- 300 ml dashi stock
- 2 tbsp mirin
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sake
Instructions
- First, scoop the seeds and soft pulp out of 450 g Japanese kabocha squash and discard.
- Cut the kabocha into equal size chunks, leaving the skin on.
- Place the kabocha pieces in a large pot with the skin side facing up. Make sure the kabocha pieces make only one layer in the pan so that the pieces aren't overlapping or sitting on top of one another.
- Add 300 ml dashi stock to the pot, place on the stove and bring to a boil over a medium heat.
- Once the dashi is boiling, add ½ tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp sake Continue to boil for 2 minutes and then lower the heat to a simmer.
- Place a drop lid in the pot touching the surface of the kabocha (you can use a sheet of foil or baking paper if you don't own a drop lid) and simmer for 10 mins.
- Pierce with a fork to check the softness. If it's not fully done, continue to simmer with the drop lid and check every 2-3 minutes.
- Enjoy!
simonandrew
Ahhhh, this sounds amazing.