Last Updated November 17 , 2021

No need to cut and peel raw pumpkins! Slow-cooked then soy-glazed, this traditional Chinese pumpkin recipe is one of the easiest and most delicious ways to cook pumpkins!
As you know, I choose my battle in the kitchen carefully. When it comes to raw pumpkins, I am definitely not going to flight them with half of my weight on top of a Chinese cleaver. For this dish, the pumpkin is first slow-cooked to make the peeling and cubing effortless; the pumpkin cubes are then quickly flavored in a wok just before serving. You can also steam the pumpkin to achieve the same result *.
I like to start the pumpkin in the slow cooker in the morning and set the timer; by dinner time, the pumpkin would be cool to handled, and ready for dinner in just a few minutes. A lot of times I simply leave the smooth part of the skin on – they are totally edible!
SOY-GLAZED PUMPKIN WITH SESAME SEEDS
(炒南瓜)

MAKE 4 servings COOKING: 10 min plus slow-cooking or steaming *
Ingredients
- 1kg or 2.2lbs. of pumpkin (or section)
- 2 spring onions, diced
- 2 tbsp. of cooking oil
- 1 to 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
Method
- Clean the pumpkin skin, then slow-cook the pumpkin on high for 2 hours or until you can just put a fork through the pumpkin – soft enough for easy peeling, but not too mushy for cubing. Remove the pumpkin from the slow cooker and let it cool to touch.
- Peel the skin off the pumpkin with hands or a knife, or leave the skin on if you prefer. Cut the pumpkin into about 2 cm or 3/4″ cubes.
- Heat a wok, add the oil, add the sesame seeds and toast for 5 seconds, then add half of the spring onions, sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add the pumpkin cubes, stir for a few seconds to coat with the oil. Add the soy sauce, toss the pumpkin constantly for another minute or until they are golden and soft to your preference. Add a tablespoon of water if the bottom of the wok gets dry. Add the remaining spring onion, remove from heat. Serve.
Recipe Notes
- * Steam the pumpkin for 30 to 40 minutes and use a fork to test its softness. You might need to cut the store-bought large piece once or twice for it to fit your steamer. The smaller the pieces, the less steaming time is needed.
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