Winter Squash, Red Kuri

Also known as Hokkaido pumpkin, or onion squash, red kuri squash usually grows to around 7 inches in diameter, and weighs from 4 to 7 pounds. It is a variety of Cucurbita maxima, which also includes Hubbard squash, banana squash and kabocha squash. It is grown and eaten extensively in Japan, where it is enjoyed baked and grilled, as well as in cakes, soups, jams, and pies. Red kuri is notable for its bright, red-orange skin. Its shape is fairly round, and its flesh is a golden yellow color, with fibrous pulp and numerous seeds that can be roasted and eaten as a snack. Its flesh has a sweet, nutty flavor, and its sweetness is enhanced by roasting. As a winter squash (technically a fruit), red kuri squash spend about 90 days on the vine before maturing, as compared with summer squash, which are harvested in as few as 40 to 70 days. This additional maturation time is necessary to give red kuri squash their hard shell, although this softens with cooking.