Soy-glazed Pumpkin with Sesame Seeds

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

1. * 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.