Simmered Acorn Squash
Make a traditional Japanese simmered dish (nimono) using acorn squash. With only a handful of ingredients, you can fully enjoy the bounty of the Fall harvest.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 acorn squash (~ 750 gram / 1.5 lb)
- 2 cup (500 ml) dashi (or 2 cups water + 1 teaspoon instant dashi granules)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon sake
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 inch ginger, thinly sliced (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- 1
Carefully cut acorn squash into two halves, use a spoon to remove the seeds and fibrous part. Place on a microwave safe plate, and cook on high with a microwave for 2-3 minutes. Cut the acorn squash into 2-inch pieces, and arrange in one layer in a pot.
- 2
Mix together dashi, sugar, and sake. Pour into the pot. The liquid should cover at least 80% of the squash, please add water if this isn't so.
- 3
Cook on medium high heat until boiling, then add soy sauce and shake the pot gently to distribute the soy sauce. When it boils again, reduce heat to medium low and cover the pot with an otoshi buta (drop lid). (*)
- 4
Simmer for 30 minutes. The squash should be very tender and very flavorful by the end of cooking time.
- 5
Turn off the heat, and let the squash rest in the hot pot for another 30 minutes without removing the lid. This will make the squash even more flavorful. Serve the squash with some thinly sliced ginger.