Roasted Kabocha squash makes your house smell like an extravagant meal, but this simple dish couldn’t be easier. If you haven’t tried roasted Kabocha squash you are in for a treat. If you adore nutty, sweet, starchy flavours you are going to love these little pumpkins!
History
Kabocha (Kuh-BOW-chuh) is very popular in Japan. ‘Kabocha’ means winter squash or pumpkin. Legend has it Kabocha squashes were brought over to Japan in the 16th century from Portuguese sailors. These sailors had last visited Cambodia and caused a bit of a mix-up with the squashes place of origin. According to food roots, the Kanji characters mean ‘southern melon’ referring Cambodia. However, Kabocha Squash actually originated from the Americas.
7 Reasons To EAT Kabocha Squash
- Help reduce blood pressure.
- Protects your heart.
- Aid in weight loss. Squashes are low in calories but high in fibre which fills you up.
- Inhibits cancer growth. The antioxidants protect your cells/DNA from being damaged or changed.
- Treatment/prevention of auto immune disorders due to its ability to reduce inflammation.
- Improve eye health. Kabocha has nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin which protect your eyes from harmful UV rays and age related eye diseases.
- Promotes Healthy Skin. The beta-carotene (converts to vitamin A in the liver) gives veggies that beautiful orange colour. Eating more beta-carotene rich foods will give your skin a healthy glow, prevent aging and heal damaged skin. Also nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin help protect again skin cancer.
How to PICK a Kabocha Squash?
- needs to be firm
- deep coloured rind (don’t worry if it has small blemishes or bumps)
- feel heavy
How to Make Roasted Kabocha Squash Video
Easy Way to CUT Kabocha Squash
Squash is ridiculous to cut even with the sharpest knife in your kitchen. So a little trick, put it in the oven whole for about 15 minutes at 400 C. After 15 minutes pull the Kabocha out of the oven and your knife will easily cut through. Discard the seeds and slice up the remaining squash.
Roasting Time
After cutting and discarding the seeds of your Kabocha arrange your slices on a silicone baking sheet. Silicone baking sheets are helpful when baking/cooking oil-free and can be found on amazon.
Place in the oven for approximately 40 minutes at 400. Flip the wedges halfway through the roasting time, now enjoy the delicious sweet, starchy, nutty flavour!
I like to eat this for lunch but for dinner as a side dish I think it pairs nicely with a sprouted salad, potatoes or rice dish. For dessert try some stewed rhubarb over banana ice cream.
Cheers to Kabocha!
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