Sticky Rice Stuffed Japanese Pumpkin Recipe

If you’re a fan of sticky rice, you’re sure to enjoy my Sticky Rice Stuffed Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha Squash) recipe. It’s savory, hearty, creamy, and sweet all in one bite! I’ll also share a cooking trick to help you easily cut through the tough skin of Japanese pumpkins.

Sticky Rice Stuffed Japanese Pumpkin Recipe

Serving: 4-6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Rest time: 2 hours
Cook time: 1 hour

For the Japanese pumpkin:
1 medium (4 pounds) Japanese pumpkin (Kabocha squash)
1 teaspoon of avocado oil, or other cooking oil

For the filling:
2 cups sticky rice, soaked for 2 hours
1 tablespoon avocado oil, or other cooking oil
2 tablespoons dried shrimp, soaked for 1 hour
1 bulb shallot, minced
3 links Chinese sausage, cut into thin rings
4 pieces shiitake mushrooms, sliced

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce
Pinch of white pepper
1 1/2 cups water

Sticky Rice Stuffed Japanese Pumpkin Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients:

• Rinse the sticky rice and soak it in water for 2 hours. Drain.
• Rinse the dried shrimp and soak it in water for 1 hour. Drain.
• To soften the tough skin of the Japanese pumpkin, place it in a steamer over medium heat and bring the water to a boil. Cover and steam for 10 minutes.
• Alternatively, place the pumpkin in the oven and bake at 375°F / 191°C for 20 minutes.
• Once the skin has softened, use a knife to cut off the top. Remove the seeds and set aside.
• To make the sauce, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, white pepper, and water in a bowl. Whisk to combine.

2. Cook the filling:

• In a pan over medium-low heat, add the avocado oil, shallot, Chinese sausage, dried shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms. Stir-fry until aromatic, about 1 minute.
• Add the drained sticky rice and stir-fry for 1 minute. Then pour in the sauce, cover the lid, and cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes.

3. Steam the stuffed Japanese pumpkin:

• Stuff the filling inside the Japanese pumpkin.
• Lightly brush a layer of avocado oil all over the pumpkin.
• Place the stuffed pumpkin in a steamer over medium heat. Bring the water to a boil, cover, and steam for about 30 minutes until completely cooked through. Enjoy!

Tips & notes

• Steaming or baking the pumpkin beforehand softens the skin, making it easier to cut and hollow out.
• Lightly brushing oil on the pumpkin skin before steaming gives it a glossy finish and prevents it from drying out.
• You can prep the filling and soak the rice and shrimp in advance to save time.