Go Back
A plate of kabocha no nimono — Japanese simmered pumpkin with beef and aburaage in a sweet soy broth

Kabocha no Nimono with Beef (Japanese Simmered Pumpkin)

A comforting Japanese simmered dish — chunks of kabocha squash cooked with beef and aburaage in a sweet-savory dashi, soy, and mirin broth. Fast and hands-off in an electric pressure cooker.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 kabocha cut into large bite-sized chunks, skin on
  • 100 g beef thinly sliced or ground
  • 1 sheet aburaage fried tofu, cut into strips
  • 100 ml dashi
  • 3-4 tbsp sugar the original uses 5; 3-4 is nicely balanced
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp mirin

Method
 

  1. Scoop out the seeds and cut the kabocha into large bite-sized chunks, leaving the skin on. Cut the aburaage into strips.
  2. Put the kabocha, beef, and aburaage into the pressure cooker's inner pot, then add the dashi, sugar, soy sauce, and mirin. Lay the kabocha skin-side down.
  3. Set the pot in the cooker, seal, and pressure cook briefly (1-2 minutes is plenty for kabocha). Let the pressure release naturally.
  4. Open the lid and switch to saute/pot mode. Simmer for a few minutes to reduce and concentrate the broth, being gentle so the kabocha keeps its shape.
  5. Spoon into bowls with some of the broth and serve warm or at room temperature.