The bright orange flesh of kabocha squash is creamy and starchy, almost like a perfectly baked potato. Its low water content makes it less ideal for purees, but braised or stewed, it becomes tender, succulent, and almost meaty. There are two kinds of kabocha you might find, and both are great for this recipe. Green kabocha is a bit starchier and earthier, and the bright-orange “red” kabocha is sweeter and a bit creamier. Either way, the skin is thin and delicious, so I tend to roughly peel it, leaving streaks of green or orange on the bright flesh.
Kabocha is a central vegetable in Japanese cuisine, and it pairs especially well with salty miso. This simple dish is so beautiful—all orange and purple—and although there’s no meat or other protein, the richness of the squash and hearty cabbage make it as filling and nurturing as any meaty stew. The miso-coconut broth is really good, so you can slurp it plain or serve it over soba noodles or rice. Look for kombu or wakame at an Asian grocer or in the international section of your grocery store. This recipe uses only half a kabocha squash. Put the other half in a freezer bag and freeze it—then pull it out and defrost in the fridge the next time you want to make this recipe (it will be soon!).
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 (6-inch)-length kombu or wakame seaweed
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as grapeseed or sunflower
- ½ cup roughly chopped onion (½ onion)
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 cups roughly chopped purple cabbage (from ½ small cabbage)
- ½ medium kabocha squash, seeded and roughly peeled, cut into thin wedges
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup white or red miso paste
- 13.6 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- Chopped scallions (white and light green parts), serving
- Combine the water and kombu in a bowl. Let the kombu soak for at least 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide pot set over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage begins to wilt, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the kombu soaking water to the pot, holding back the kombu itself. Roughly chop the kombu, and add it to the pot. Add the squash and salt, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the liquid to a low boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the squash is tender and creamy when pricked with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir together the miso and coconut milk in a small bowl, stirring to thin out the miso and loosen the fat in the coconut milk. Stir the miso mixture into the broth gently to avoid breaking up the squash. If necessary, return the pot to medium until the broth is warmed through. Top with the scallions.
