Kabocha with miso-sesame dressing, pickled daikon and buckwheat

Sweet, sour and crunchy on one plate

Kabocha is a Japanese winter squash with firm, sweet flesh. Its dark green skin can go straight onto the plate after roasting; when the squash is ripe, the skin becomes tender. Choose one that feels heavy for its size and has no soft spots. Kabocha is widely available in autumn and winter. If you can’t find it, a small butternut squash will also work, though its skin is less pleasant to eat after roasting, so it’s best to remove it.

Roasting the wedges at a high temperature evaporates moisture from the surface and browns the edges. This creates a concentrated sweetness that pairs well with white miso: salty, savory and mild in flavor. Sesame paste makes the dressing rich and creamy; rice vinegar keeps it fresh. White miso is generally milder than red miso. If you use red miso, start with a little less and taste before adding extra salt. Tahini can replace Japanese sesame paste, but it often has a slightly stronger, sometimes more bitter flavor.

The daikon brings a different kind of freshness from the dressing. Thinly sliced radish quickly turns lightly sour and tender, while still retaining some bite. Slice it thinly with a sharp knife or mandoline so the seasoning can soak in quickly. No daikon on hand? Use regular radishes or thin strips of cucumber instead. Cucumber has less bite and softens more quickly, so add it just before serving.

Buckwheat adds a dry, nutty crunch against the soft squash and smooth dressing. Use raw, hulled buckwheat groats, not already roasted kasha: it is often softer already and can burn more quickly in the pan. Keep the pan moving and take the groats off the heat as soon as they smell fragrant and turn lightly golden. Sprinkle them over the dish at the very end; otherwise, they’ll lose their crunch.

Serve the kabocha as a side dish with rice, tofu or pan-fried fish, or make it a light meal with extra rice. The flavors are Japanese-inspired; this combination is intended as a contemporary vegetable dish, not as a traditional dish. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and eat them within two to three days. Keep the daikon and buckwheat separate from the squash: the daikon stays fresher and the buckwheat crunchier. Reheat the squash gently in the oven or a frying pan, then add the dressing and toppings.