Japanese Pumpkin

The perfect accompaniment to any meat dish.

Photo: Chopstick Chronicles

Ingredients

• 500g pumpkin or squash
• 1½ to 2 cups dashi – bonito fish stock (make dashi up from instructions on package)
• 2½ tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon  mirin
• 1½ tablespoon Japanese soy sauce

Method

Wash pumpkin and remove seeds. Cut into pieces approximately 5cm cubes.

The skin may be removed if desired, but it's not necessary.

Place pumpkin, skin-side-down, in a heavy saucepan. Add 1½ cups dashi, sugar and mirin.

Heat to boiling over medium heat. Boil vigorously for 4 minutes; gently turn pumpkin pieces over. Continue boiling, then cover for 4 minutes longer.

Add soy sauce. Add remaining ½ cup dashi, if needed.

Reduce heat, continue boiling covered 7 to 8 minutes longer, just until tender. Serve hot or cool to room temperature.