Kabocha Squash Puree
かぼちゃのペースト · Kabocha no Peesuto
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
This is about as simple as a preschool side dish gets: boiled kabocha squash blended with kombu dashi until silky smooth. Kabocha is naturally sweet and starchy, so it needs no added seasoning at all, and the light kelp stock loosens the puree while adding a gentle savory note. The soft, spoonable texture makes it a natural fit for toddlers who are still getting used to chewing, and its bright orange color tends to win children over before they have even tasted it.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 15 gkabocha squashSweet, dense Japanese pumpkin with dark green skin and orange flesh. Substitute: Butternut squash or another sweet winter squash.
Seasonings
- 15 gkombu dashi (kelp stock)A light, savory stock made by steeping dried kombu kelp in water. Substitute: Light vegetable stock, or water with a small pinch of dashi powder.
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- kabocha squash (かぼちゃ)
- Sweet, dense Japanese pumpkin with dark green skin and orange flesh. Substitute: Butternut squash or another sweet winter squash.
- kombu dashi (kelp stock) (だし汁，昆布)
- A light, savory stock made by steeping dried kombu kelp in water. Substitute: Light vegetable stock, or water with a small pinch of dashi powder.
Directions
- 1
Boil the kabocha squash until tender, then blend it with the kombu dashi in a blender until smooth.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 12 kcal | 24 kcal | 12 kcal |
| Protein | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Fat | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.3 g | 6.6 g | 3.3 g |
| Fiber | 0.6 g | 1.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Calcium | 3 mg | 6 mg | 3 mg |
| Iron | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Potassium | 85.5 mg | 171 mg | 85.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 12 kcal | 0.3 g | 0 g | 3.3 g | 0.6 g | 0 g | 3 mg | 0 mg | 85.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 24 kcal | 0.6 g | 0 g | 6.6 g | 1.2 g | 0 g | 6 mg | 0 mg | 171 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
Ingredients in this recipe
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