I have been on a kick of pumpkin tasting recently. So that you know, pumpkins come from the squash family. I am mainly interested in winter squashes here, the ones which usually give glorious autumn color and sweet taste. Many years ago "exotic" winter squashes (i.e. non butternut) were hard to come but and only occasionally did I see them in my local organic food shop. I remember the first one I bought was called buttercup squash. I was hooked instantly by its dense and yet creamy texture. I am not a fan of butternut squash, despite its omnipresence. Butternut is too watery and tastes like orange watermelon to me. Buttercup is different. It's flesh is drier, slightly powdery and delightfully sweet. I love it.
Then it disappeared from the shop one winter and never came back. Well, isn't that the rule for good things in life?
Luckily, my local supermarket now has broadened its winter squash offering. Now they come in lots of varieties in a crate or two but without names. I guess it's because they are not in commercial production yet, hence no labels. That's how my pumpkin tasting started.
So far I've got a red kuri, an acorn, a blue hokkaido (or winter sweet). They all have appetizing orange flesh. Red kuri, most watery among all, reminds me of a better cousin of butternut. I don't think I will buy red kuri again. After that, I was pleasantly surprised by acorn. Its flesh is moist but without the butternut texture and much sweeter than red kuri. The flesh is not as dense as buttercup but definitely on the dense side than the watery side. I will buy acorn again. As for blue hokkaido, I have to wait until next week to tell you. As I am the only person eating the pumpkins in the household, there is only so much a person can take per week.
And you know the trick to cut a pumpkin easily and safely, right? Just in case you wonder, I first scrub the pumpkin clean and towel dry. I flatten one end of the pumpkin so that it stands firmly on the surface. This is optional. Then I wrap my cleaned pumpkin in two sheets of overlapping clingfilm and microwave it for 5 minutes. Depending on the size, you can adjust the time. I always start with 5 minutes and try with the tip of the knife. If the pumpkin resists the knife, microwave for another 1 or 2 minutes. The purpose of the clingfilm is to trap the steam so that the shell softens up quickly.
Remove the pumpkin from the microwave with a towel and place firmly on a board. Use a paring knife to cut along the stem. Remove the lid and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. The pumpkin now should much easily be cut into desirable shapes for further cooking. I learned the tip from the video below.
