Orange Kabocha

Orange Kabocha (Cucurbita Maxima) is a sweet squash variety in the Cucurbitaceae family, related to gourds and pumpkins. Professional and home chefs cherish Kabocha for its exceptionally sweet flavor. Kabocha is considered to be even sweeter than butternut squash. While Kabocha looks like a smaller, squat version of a pumpkin, its sweet, rich flavor and velvety, dryer texture is more akin to a sweet potato. Kabocha texture makes it an excellent candidate for roasting, steaming, and frying as it maintains its shape. Its finely grained flesh also makes it the perfect vegetable for pureéing or mashing.

All squash in the Cucurbitaceae family are believed to have originated in the Americas, where it was introduced to Asia and Europe by explorers in the 16th century. According to Japan Times, a popular belief states that Portuguese traders presented small, squat squash to the lord of Toyo-no-kuni in the mid-16th century. Because the Portuguese travelers came to Japan from Cambodia, the squash was misnamed “Kabocha.” The kanji characters for the word mean “southern melon,” referring to Cambodia, its mistaken place of origin. Hence, while Kabocha is sometimes called “Japanese squash” or “Japanese pumpkin” in American supermarkets, the meaning of the word “kabocha” in Japanese reveals other origins.

In Japan, the term “kabocha” refers to a generic group of many varieties of Japanese winter squashes and pumpkins, similar to how the word “squash” is generically used in English. Hence, to say “kabocha squash” is a bit like saying “squash squash.” However, the Kabocha varieties that we call “Japanese squash” here in the United States are classified as seiyo, or “Western kabocha,” in Japan.

Kabocha is typically enjoyed in Japanese, Korean, and Thai cuisines, although its exceptional sweetness and flavor has increased its popularity throughout the world. In Japan, kabocha (南瓜) is commonly used as a vegetable tempura ingredient or added into shabu shabu (Japanese hot pot). In Korean, it is known as danhobak (단호박) and is commonly used for making a sweet porridge or as a side dish. In Thai cuisine, the squash is known as fak thong (ฟักทอง) and is used for curries and desserts.

Health Benefits

Orange Kabocha along with other winter squashes, is packed with the following nutrients with significant health benefits

Health benefits of Orange Kabocha include:

• Excellent source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber
• Good substitute for gluten-sensitive (celiac disease) people
• Antioxidant that helps in cell growth and mucosal repair, fighting cancer, and for good vision
• Essential for collagen synthesis in bones, cartilage, and blood vessels, and aids in iron absorption