Recipe: Spiced 'kabocha' (Japanese pumpkin) pie

2 hours ago 2

If October had a color, it would be orange. Jack-o’-lanterns and Halloween beg for it. Pumpkin pie is on the menu back home, but here in Japan, whole pumpkins are too expensive to be used for anything. Canned pumpkin — I kid you not — is impossible to find at the Japanese grocery store (if you’re lucky some Kaldi stores have it). I once resorted to begging my husband to lug 30 cans in his suitcase with every trip back. As much as I appreciated his efforts, we both knew I needed an alternative option for my pumpkin pie recipe while in Japan.

Enter かぼちゃ (kabocha; Japanese pumpkin). It’s the closest thing I’ve found to what I know a pumpkin to be. I love this stuff, but it comes with a warning — it’s a beast to cut — I mean it. I can do it, but it takes me a good five minutes to get the knife through the flesh.

Cutting & Preparing Kabocha

Use your biggest, best, sharpest, strongest butcher knife and be careful! I usually have to whack it a few times to make enough of a wedge to actually cut it apart. The flesh of the kabocha is meaty and thick. Cut it into big chunks and bake it in the oven at 180C (or 350F) for 30 minutes or until soft.

Japanese Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Image: Amya Miller

Now, let’s get on the main topic. Pumpkin pie. While the kabocha is softening in the oven, start your pie crust.

Ingredients

For the crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup frozen butter (or lard or vegetable shortening)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4~5 tablespoons of ice water

Note: The fat (butter/lard/shortening) must be frozen, and the ice water must contain ice. Don’t cheat! The amount of ice water necessary changes according to the temperature and humidity inside and outside. The warmer and more humid it is, the less ice water you’ll need.

For the pie mixture