Kabocha is a type of winter squash or pumpkin. In the grocery store, you can find them labeled as kabocha squash or Japanese pumpkin.
Unlike the Western orange pumpkins, kabocha is green on the outside. The skin may also have white specks and white ribbings. When fully mature, the squash is shaped like a squat Western pumpkin.
From the inside, kabocha and the Western orange pumpkin look no different. It has yellow-orange flesh and a hollow, stringy core that contains large flat seeds. Just like the Western pumpkin, you can scoop out the seeds, dry, roast, and season them for a healthy snack if you so desired.
Kabocha has a taste and texture similar to the butternut and acorn squash. If you can’t get kabocha, you can easily substitute with those two. You can also substitute with your regular Western orange pumpkin, although it may not be as sweet.
The skin of the kabocha is knobby and hard, but edible. It’s packed with nutrients and cooks up in about the same as the flesh. For that reason and because it’s so tough to peel, I leave the squash unpeeled and simply cook with the skin on.
You can find kabocha year-round in many grocery stores but they are plentiful and cheap in late Fall.
This pumpkin is versatile in many cuisines. In Vietnamese cuisine, the Kabocha squash is cut into cubes and used in soups. In Japanese cuisine, they are sliced into thin wedges and fried in a light batter known as tempura. In the West, it’s halved, roasted and made into a puree for baking or blended into a smooth and hardy soup.
In the below recipe, I’m making a traditional Vietnamese soup with shrimp. The shrimp is made into a paste not only to stretch the protein, but for quicker cooking and a lighter texture.
The soup is infused with fried garlic and seasoned with a bit of salt, sugar, fish sauce, and a bit of chicken or vegetarian/mushroom bouillon powder. For the finishing touches, it’s usually garnished with thinly sliced green onions or cilantro for that pop of green and a dash of ground black pepper for a peppery aroma. The resulting soup has a great balance of flavors, is easy to eat, and full of wonderful health benefits.
This soup is traditionally served as a side dish to steamed rice. For a full-fledged Vietnamese-style home cooked meal, serve the soup with a protein dish.
As always, happy cooking!
Popular Vietnamese Dishes to Complete the Meal
- Caramelized Pork Spare Ribs (Suon Ram Man)
- Caramelized Shrimp (Tom Rim)
- Braised & Caramelized Catfish (Ca Kho)
- Ginger Chicken (Ga Kho Gung)
Other Vietnamese Soups You Might Enjoy
- Kabocha Squash Soup with Pork Meatballs
- Chayote Squash Soup with Minced Shrimp
- Vietnamese Kabocha Squash Soup with Chicken
- Pork Spare Rib Soup with Potatoes, Carrots and Cauliflower
Vietnamese Kabocha Pumpkin Soup with Minced Shrimp (Canh Bi Do Nau Tom Bam)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
A simple Vietnamese kabocha squash soup with minced shrimp, perfect for fall and winter. Serve with steamed rice for a complete meal.
Ingredients
Shrimp Marinade
- 10 large shrimp (size 21-25; peel, devein; finely mince into paste)
- 3 green onions/scallions (thinly slice; separate whites/greens)
- 4 large cloves garlic (peel, mince, finely dice; divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder or mushroom seasoning powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Soup
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 1/2 lbs kabocha squash cut into 1-inch cubes (about one small whole kabocha squash)
- 1 1/2 quarts water or unsalted vegetable/bone stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder or mushroom seasoning powder
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
Instructions
- Marinate the Shrimp Paste: In a medium bowl, mix shrimp paste with whites of green onions, half of garlic, salt, sugar, bouillon powder, and ground black pepper. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- Sauté the Aromatics: In a medium-size stock pot, heat oil on medium-high. Add remaining garlic and sauté until fragrant (a few seconds).
- Start the Soup Base: Add water/unsalted stock slowly to the stock pot. Be careful of hot oil splatters. Bring the pot to a boil.
- Cook the Kabocha Squash: Add cubed kabocha squash and cook on a low simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the Shrimp: Scoop shrimp paste into small balls and drop directly into the pot. Continue to cook for 5 more minutes on a low simmer or until kabocha squash is chopstick-tender.
- Season: Season to taste with salt, sugar, chicken/mushroom bouillon powder and fish sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: When ready to serve, garnish soup with green part of green onions and a sprinkle of ground black pepper.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
