Red kuri squash

As Hokkaido pumpkin (Japanese栗 カボチャ, kuri - kabocha ) are called multiple derived from the Japanese island of Hokkaidō small varieties of giant pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima).

There are wide round, orange-red pumpkins weighing about 1 to 2 kg, its thin shell - unlike most other types of squash - when cooked is soft and can be consumed - the seeds and fibers should be removed. The flesh has a nutty flavor similar to chestnuts and a stable consistency, although it contains hardly noticeable fibers.

Use

This Pumpkin type adapts to many flavors, but blends perfectly with ginger and chili and can be extensively used for soups, casseroles or as a vegetable. The Hokkaido pumpkin can be eaten raw or used in salads.

The cores of Hokkaido dried. Then you can sow them or consume. The thickness of the core shell can vary, whereby they are not always palatable.

History

The hitherto unknown in Japan brought pumpkin 1878 American agricultural advisers to Hokkaidō. There, the giant pumpkin Kuri aji (Japanese栗 味, dt " chestnut taste ") was grown from the hard and low-flavor variety Hubbard. Since the 1990s, he is also grown in Europe and is regularly commercially available.

Cultivation and storage

Hokkaido is often preferred in the greenhouse or on a window sill, and then plant it after the last expected frosts late in the open land. Whether this method leads to an improvement in the German-speaking area of revenue that is controversial. Approx. 8 plants per m² yield the highest return. With the planting density decreases the size of each fruit. However, both larger and smaller fruits can be advantageous, depending on the specific needs of the female consumer ( capped Hokkaido lose their durability).

Hokkaido can be harvested from September to December. Unlike many typical camp vegetables pumpkins are frost sensitive and should be stored at 10 to 15 ° C. Intact pumpkins with intact peduncle keep for several months.