Baked and Simmered Kabocha

I took a short intermission and now I’m continuing the “bento-stash” series with  kabocha!  We are nearing the end of winter; the squash and pumpkin season is wrapping up so I’m stocking the freezer with one of my favorite bento fillers… the kabocha!  It’s sweet and  firm flesh is perfect for roasting, baking or simmering.  It also keeps well in the freezer for a couple of months if cooked first and wrapped up tight!  Another good property of kabocha is that it’s skin is soft enough to cut through with relative ease and it’s edible!

Pick out a firm kabocha without any bruising or soft spots.   The size doesn’t matter but I like the smaller ones because they’re easier to handle!  Wash it well to remove any grit or embedded dirt and start by cutting in half; top to bottom. 

At this point you need to make a decision:  scoop out the seeds and toss… or scoop out the seeds, wash and clean the seeds, spread them on a baking sheet, brush with oil, add seasoning of choice, toast at 250 degrees for 60 minutes (turn every 20 minutes), cool then eat!   I pondered this choice for a split second then  unceremoniously threw the seeds out!  “Next!”

After de-seeding, cut into chunks and trim the edges of the skins.  I just learned this trimming techinque from my blog friend Robert-Giles of Shizuoka Gourmet who writes that leaving the edges sharp could be hazardous!  Regardless of any potential “pumpkin cut” trimming the skin  this way  promotes even cooking.   Personally, I like the way they look with this preparation.

Place the pieces skin side down on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.   Remove from the oven and cool before freezing as your “bento-stash”.  To do this place them single layer in the freezer, then bag them after they are frozen.  This keeps the chunks from sticking together and you’ll be able to select the pieces one at time for future bentos!

When you’re ready to  prepare your frozen kabocha for your bento you can choose a couple of recipes…simmer with shoyu, mirin and sugar or quick- fry lightly in oil and seasonings.   Reheating in the oven or zapping the microwave with salt and pepper would be tasty as well!  I usually don’t bother thawing first… I just cook it. 

I decided to simmer in a splash of shoyu, mirin and agave syrup!  Yuuummmy!

*UPDATE: After recieving a few emails and a tweet about boiling instead of baking, I thought I would clarify to say that yes, blanching the  pieces before freezing is another excellent way prepare the kabocha.  I choose to bake  but both methods work well.    Thanks!