Japanese Pumpkin - Kabocha

Ingredients:

1 pound pumpkin
To boil pumpkin:
1 1/2 cups dashi (bonito fish stalk - dashi) or chicken stock
2 1/2 TBS. sugar
1 1/2 TBS. soysauce
1 TBS mirin (sweet rice wine)

Preparation, Cooking and Serving

1. Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and wash. Cut into 2-inch squares. Slice off skin here and there to give surface a mottled look and to enable flavor of broth to seep in.
2. Put pumpkin skin side down into saucepan, add dash, sugar and mirin. Cover and boil 7 to 8 minutes over medium heat. After 4 to 5 minutes, turn pieces over gently one by one.
3. Add soy sauce and continue to boil 7 to 8 minutes more, or until tender, turning over once while boiling. Do not overcook.
4. Serve hot or at room temperature.