Sweet, fluffy and delicious Japanese Simmered Pumpkin is the ultimate comforting side dish. Made with "kabocha" that is simmered in a delightful assortment of Japanese condiments, it's perfect to serve with any home dish or even in a bento box!
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What is Kabocha no Nimono?
The Japanese name for this dish is "Kabocha no Nimono" (かぼちゃの煮物) which directly translates into "simmered Japanese pumpkin".
The kabocha is not simply boiled in water, it is simmered in a mixture of Japanese condiments such as soy sauce, mirin and sake. (I like using Kikkoman brand soy sauce and mirin.) These flavours really bring out the taste of the pumpkin and the method of cooking makes the texture soft and melt in the mouth.
We also tend to leave the skin on, it keeps the pieces together after it's boiled and stops them from falling apart! Not to mention it's packed with nutrients and looks very colourful too!
History of kabocha no nimono
Simmered pumpkin actually has a long history as a home cooking dish. In old Japan, it was a tradition to eat pumpkin in winter. There's even an idea of "eating a lot of pumpkins to get through winter". Probably because pumpkin is sweet, comforting and nutritious. It was also useful that pumpkins can be stored for a long time.
Back then, the easiest and the most ideal way of cooking pumpkin was simmering.
Kabocha is used for "Japanese Simmered Pumpkin"
Okay, so actually this dish doesn't use regular pumpkin. The most popular kind of pumpkin in Japan is called 'kabocha'.
Kabocha is a kind of winter squash, it's a little similar to butternut squash but the shape is different and kabocha has a thick green skin. As I mentioned before, you can eat the skin once it's cooked!
The taste of kabocha is also a lot sweeter than butternut squash, and the texture is kind of like a mix between pumpkin and sweet potato. It's fluffy and delicious, and it's pretty versatile too! It can be used in a number of dishes, savory or sweet!
Use a sharp knife
Kabocha is very hard and can be difficult to cut. Be sure to use a sharp knife for this. I recommend cutting it in half first and then laying the flat side down to stop it moving.
Because this dish is so popular, it's common to find precut kabocha especially for making kabocha no nimono in Japanese supermarkets. It's not only a popular side dish, but also a great choice to put in a bento (lunch) box as well.
Using a drop lid (otoshibuta)
Many simmered Japanese dishes use a tool called an "otoshibuta" or "drop lid". The purpose of the drop lid is to stop delicate ingredients such as fish, pumpkin, potato etc from moving and breaking during the cooking process.
The drop lid also stops the liquid from bubbling upwards, instead directing it around the ingredients so that it's evenly distributed around the pot. This means that the dish will be evenly flavoured and there's no need to mix!
You can learn more about Japanese drop lids and how to make your own from foil or baking paper on my post here!
Other dishes that use Kabocha
Here are some other dishes where you can use Japanese pumpkin, Kabocha!
- Tempura かぼちゃ天ぷら
- Pumpkin Korokke かぼちゃコロッケ
- Kabocha Soup かぼちゃスープ
- Kabocha Salad かぼちゃサラダ
- Kabocha Pudding (purin) かぼちゃプリン
Let's get started!
PrintStep by step recipe
Japanese Simmered Pumpkin (かぼちゃの煮物)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 5-6 side portions 1x
Description
How to make delicious Japanese Simmered Pumpkin (かぼちゃの煮物)
Ingredients
Instructions
- First, scoop the seeds and pulp out of the kabocha. You can throw them away, we won't need them in this recipe.
- Cut the kabocha into equal size chunks and leave the skin on.
- Place the kabocha pieces into a large pot with the skin side facing up. Make sure the kabocha pieces make only one layer in the pan, you don't want any pieces overlapping or sitting on top of one another.
- Add 300ml of dashi to the pot, turn on the stove to a medium heat and bring to boil.
- Once the dashi is boiling, add 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp mirin, continue to boil for 2 minutes.
- Next, add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sake and turn the heat down to a simmer.
- Place a drop-lid in the pot touching the surface of the kabocha (you can use foil or baking paper) and simmer for 15 mins until the kabocha is soft.
- Serve as a side dish use in a bento box.
- Enjoy!
Notes
You can store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days after letting it cool. Put some broth in the container too!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Sides
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Japanese
Keywords: Japanese Kabocha no nimono recipe, Japanese Simmered Pumpkin, Japanese simmered squash, Japanese simmered kabocha, simmered kabocha squash recipe, nimono recipe
simonandrew
Ahhhh, this sounds amazing.
★★★