Kabocha Pumpkin Yokan
This bright orange kabocha yokan is a Japanese treat made with kabocha and agar-agar. This dessert is healthy, quick, easy, vegan-friendly, and gluten-free.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 500 gram kabocha pumpkin meat
- 250 ml (1 cup) water
- 1 teaspoon agar-agar powder
- 100 gram (1/2 cup) sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 1
Kabocha puree. First, steam kabocha meat until soft enough to be mashed. Use a fork, or a food processor, to turn the steamed kabocha into kabocha puree.
- 2
Prepare agar-agar. Boil together water and agar-agar in a small pot, then add sugar and salt and boil until sugar is completely dissolved.
- 3
Mix kabocha with agar. Remove the pot from heat, then stir in kabocha puree into the agar-agar mixture until smooth.
- 4
Let the yokan set. Pour the mixture into a loaf pan (I use an 8”x4” loaf pan), use a spatula to smooth the mixture, and then chill in the fridge until set. About 1 hour.
- 5
Serving. Gently run a thin blade around the loaf pan to loosen the yokan, then cover the pan with a plate and flip. The yokan become loose and drop on the plate.
- 6
Storing. Any leftover yokan can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.