I’ve been looking forward to the fall season after reading about Red Kuri Squash. It didn’t disappoint.
Red Kuri may also be called Japanese Squash, Hokkaido Squash, or Uchiki Kuri Squash. It is Potimarron in France, and Onion Squash in the UK. In the US, it shows up around Halloween and disappears again after November. This tear-drop shaped, red-orange winter squash has the same high-fiber and low-carbohydrate count as pumpkin (4 net grams of carbs per 1/2 cup serving), and it can be used in the same recipes, but it has a firmer texture and the flavor is more like butternut squash than pumpkin.
I roasted some for dinner tonight and served it with steak, broccoli, and cranberry sauce. It will make a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, reminiscent of sweet potatoes, but much lower in carbs. I started out with a very simple version, but it was so good, I may not change it (although a little cinnamon and nutmeg might be nice).
Red Kuri has a very hard rind, so I punctured it with a knife to keep it from exploding and microwaved the whole thing for 2 or 3 minutes until it softened a bit. Then I cut it up and used my trusty grapefruit spoon (never yet used on a grapefruit) to scrape out the seeds. I peeled the pieces with a vegetable parer and cut them into one-inch dice. I put them in a roasting pan with some chopped onion, sprinkled it all with salt and pepper, and dotted it with butter. After about 45 minutes in a 375 degree oven, stirring once half way through, the squash was soft and starting to brown. I left it in the oven for a few minutes longer while I pre-heated the broiler for the steaks. Actually, I left it a little too long and had to pick out a few blackened pieces, but other than that, it was a complete success!
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RED KURI SQUASH, (c) 2011, photo by Schwabin.
(c) 2011, Judy Barnes Baker, www.carbwars.blogspot.com
I'll try it with the peel, Anonymous! Much easier that way too. Thanks.
It's much tastier eaten with the peel still on, and more nutritious too!
My favorite squash too. I eat it with butter (mashed). I keep it quiet though because I don't want the price to go up!!!
Thanks for the comment, Jennifer. I hope you can find Red Kuri where you are so you can try it. It might have a longer season there.
What a find! 🙂