Simmered Buttery Kabocha 黑糖味醂南瓜

Ingredients:

1 Kabocha

4 tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 tablespoon Mirin

2 tablespoons Butter

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Direction:

1. Cut the Kabocha in half and scoop out the seeds.

2. Cut off some of the thick skins. 

3. Cut the Kabocha into large cubes. 

4. In a medium pot, melt the butter over high heat.

5. Add Kabocha cubes and stir fry them until they are coated with butter.

6. Add brown sugar, marin and salt; stir well.

7. With the lid on, cook them over medium-low heat for about 13-15 minutes.  Gently stir them half way through to prevent them from burning.  Serve with steamed rice.  Store them in the fridge up to one week. 

Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Turmeric Soup

The butternut squash is roasted until soft and nearly caramelized.  Then it is blended with carrot and mushroom broth with fresh thyme and a touch of turmeric.  It is creamy, comforting, and filling!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Butternut Squash

1 Yellow Onion

2 Carrots

 6 garlic Cloves

1/4 cup Butter 

1 Litre Mushroom Broth

1/2 cup Milk, 2%

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric

6 sprigs Thyme, fresh

Salt to taste

DIRECTION:

1. Pre heat oven to 360F.

2. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and cut off the hard skin.  Cut the flesh into cubes.  Add the cubes in a mixing bowl with two tablespoons of vegetable oil; mix well.

3. Pour them on a foil covered roasting pan.  Roast in the oven until they are soft and caramelized; about 25 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cut the onion into small chunks.  Peel and smash the garlic.  Cut the carrot into small pieces.

5. When the squash is ready heat up butter in a soup pot over high heat.  Add onion, carrot, thyme and turmeric; sauté for a few minutes.   Add mushroom broth and roasted squash.  Bring it to a boil and then continue to cook until the carrot has totally softened; about 20 minutes.  Discard the thyme.

6. With a blender, process until the soup is smooth and chunk-less.  Add milk; season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.  

We love to serve the soup with injera bread.