We’ve been on a real kabocha squash kick this fall. Kabocha is a mean thing. Thanks to its dense texture, it never goes mealy and falls apart. For this reason, not to mention its vibrant flavor and color, it’s my favorite squash. For the same reason, it is terrifying to cut one up. There is no method that guarantees freedom from fear. They were doing a demo at the farmers market last Sunday and I saw a cook cutting up a kabocha in such a way that I kept my ears peeled for ambulance sirens.
I mean, not to scare you off. Probably you’ll survive a kabocha encounter. We survived one last night, and I want to share the recipe with you because it came out so great.
Usually I cut kabocha into peeled 1/2-inch slices, toss them with peanut oil, and roast until tender and browned. But last night I wanted to stir-fry. So I Googled “stir-fried kabocha” and up came with my friend Jess Thomson’s website, Hogwash, and her recipe for Stir-Fried Kabocha with Ginger and Scallions.
I made it almost exactly as written, except that I was out of cilantro and wanted to include chicken. I also wanted to serve it on top of a crispy noodle cake. So here’s how I did it:
**STIR-FRIED KABOCHA WITH CHICKEN, GINGER, AND SCALLIONS**
Adapted from Jess Thomson
Serves about 3
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine
3 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1/2 a medium kabocha squash, skin cut off, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup sliced scallions (green and white parts)
1. Stir the chicken together with the 1 teaspoon soy sauce and rice wine. Marinate in the refrigerator for up to 20 minutes if you have time. Otherwise, proceed immediately.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat and heat until beginning to smoke. Add the chicken, in a single layer, and cook without stirring until browned, about 2 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until no longer pink, about 1 minute longer. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering. Add the kabocha and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and tender, about 5 minutes. If the squash is still too crunchy for your taste, add 2 tablespoons water, cover, and steam 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, return the chicken to the pan, and simmer until the sauce coats the squash and chicken, about 1 minute. Stir in the scallions and serve immediately with crispy noodle cake.
**CRISPY NOODLE CAKE**
Makes one 10-inch cake, serving 3 to 4
*The brand of Asian noodles I’ve been buying lately is Wang, from Korea, but any fresh thin wheat noodles will be fine, with or without egg.*
8 ounces fresh Asian noodles
2 tablespoons sliced scallions
4 tablespoons peanut oil
1. Boil a large pot of water and add the noodles. Cook according to the package directions. Drain in a colander, and, using a pasta server or large fork, toss with the scallions.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cooked noodles, flattening them out to cover the whole surface of the skillet. Cook until well browned, about 4 minutes. Flip the noodles out on to a large plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, slide the noodles back in, crispy side up, and continue cooking until browned on the other side, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Remove the noodles from the pan, cut into 8 wedges, and serve immediately.