braised kabocha

Braised kabocha is simple, down-home Japanese cooking. My grandma made it; my mom makes it, and my kids, sisters, nieces and nephews all eat it. 

Kabocha is Japanese pumpkin. 

It looks like a green Halloween pumpkin, but does not turn orange unless it's really, really old. Not as stringy as Jack-o-Lanterns, and not as mushy. The other thing that has been drilled into my brain is that the braised kabocha skin *IS THE BEST PART* If you ever eat at my mom's house and she makes this, make *SURE* you eat the skin. 

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1 kabocha 
Water 
Dash (very small splash) of Hon Tsuyu

1T shoyu  
1-2T brown sugar
About 1T mirin

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Cut the kabocha. Seed it and cut into 1-inch chunks. Set the kabocha pieces, skin side down in a single layer in a bit pot. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, but not enough to cover the kabocha. Mix Hon Tsuyu, sugar, shoyu and mirin together and mix into the water. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Once this happens, turn the heat down and let it steam for about 20 minutes. 

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