Kabocha squash is a kind of Japanese winter squash that can be found on the North American market. Varieties of this squash can be a lot like butternut squash, while some less sweet varieties have been compared to russet potatoes. The Kabocha squash is a general kind of squash that includes several varieties including Ajihei, Miyako and Ebisu.
The Kabocha squash has a hard shell like a pumpkin. It is mainly dark green, but some varieties have a bright yellow stripe in places. The sizes of these squashes generally range from 2 to 8 pounds.
Different kinds of cooking use the Kabocha squash in different ways. In lots of simple squash dishes, the fruit of the squash is simply used in chunks, or mashed up. This squash is also a frequent ingredient in tempura, which is a kind of crunchy batter popular in some Asian cuisine. For using the Kabocha squash in tempura, the squash might be mashed up and mixed with dry ingredients, where frying the mix gives it a crunchy texture.
In terms of nutrition, Kabocha squash has quite a bit of value. It is a good source of a range of vitamins including vitamin C. These common nutritional essentials carry a lot of antioxidants that help to ward off various kinds of illness. The Kabocha squash even has folic acid, which is helpful for some kinds of diets. It also includes betacarotene and other great vegetable elements that can aid the vision and serve a range of other health benefits. In addition to all of this, it is prized in some cultures as an aphrodisiac.
Kabocha squash is grown in warmer regions of the world. It’s interesting to note that a lot of the crop in various countries is exported back to Japan. Japanese cuisine has a number of uses for this popular vegetable, although its use seems to have caught on in the United States as well.
Growing this kind of crop for market may include some kinds of challenges. One of the main benefits of growing this type of crop is that maturity is valued over freshness. That means that these kinds of items can be shipped and can sold more easily and cheaply.