Kabocha is a variety of  squash or what you call Japanese pumpkin. It is green skinned and weighs an average of 2-3 pounds. It’s skin is edible when cooked.  Gohan is the Japanese word for rice. This  is what you refer to as a mixed rice dish, where ingredients are added and cooked with the rice.

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I chanced upon this recipe while browsing the web for dinner menu ideas. It looks fairly easy to make plus squash is a favorite in our family. You can make this by stove top method or by using a rice cooker.

Cut and remove the seeds and fibers from inside the Kabocha. Peel the skin, and cut into cubes. Rinse 3 cups of rice until water runs clears (I used the measuring cup that came with my rice cooker) then add water up to the 3 cup line. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tablespoon sweet cooking sake and stir. Place a cup of cubed kabocha on top of the rice, cover and turn on cooker.

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When it’s done, gently fold or fluff the rice from the bottom up. The squash will be very soft and will streak your rice into an orange color. No worries for this is what makes the dish rustic. The natural sweet flavor of the squash complements well with the rice.

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