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Kabocha salad
Kabocha sarada (かぼちゃサラダ): sweet mashed Japanese pumpkin salad with mayonnaise and raisins
Children across Japan know this golden, chunky salad from their bento boxes and school lunches: steamed kabocha squash crushed with mayonnaise, a few plump raisins and a touch of pepper, sweet enough to pass for dessert. It holds its shape cold, so it fills a bento cup neatly. The common mistake is mashing the squash while it is wet, which gives a watery salad; dry it off in the pan first. Leave some skin on for colour. The mayonnaise contains egg. Chef's tip: dress the squash while it is still warm with the salt and pepper, but add the mayonnaise only once it has cooled, so it stays creamy instead of turning oily.
- Total time
- 22 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz kabocha squashseeds removed, prepared weight
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- ⅞ oz raisins
- 3 tbsp Japanese-style mayonnaise
- 1 oz cream cheese (optional)most is made without animal rennet, but check the label
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Peel 14 oz kabocha squash in patches, leaving about half the green skin on, and cut into 3 cm chunks.
Step 2: Steam over boiling water for 10–12 minutes, until a skewer slides through with no resistance. Or microwave, covered, with 2 tbsp water for 6–7 minutes.
12 minStep 3: Tip into a dry pan over a low heat for 1 minute, shaking, until the surface looks dry and floury.
1 minStep 4: Transfer to a bowl, season with ¼ tsp salt and 1 pinch ground black pepper and crush roughly with a fork, leaving some chunks. Stir in ⅞ oz raisins and leave to cool.
Step 5: When cool, fold in 3 tbsp Japanese-style mayonnaise and 1 oz cream cheese, if using. Chill and pack in a bento cup within 2 days, with an ice pack.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kabocha salad take?
- About 22 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ground black pepper?
- Black peppercorns, freshly ground, same amount.
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