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Occasionally, I stumble upon a new vegetable that transforms my gardening and cooking routine. I mean something unique, easy to cultivate in my 9b home garden, and flexible for culinary use. My 2023 find was the Red Kuri Squash, which is perfect to grow for the Fall garden. In this blog post, I share tips on how to grow and cook Red Kuri Squash.
With its red-orange colors providing a great combination with zinnias, Red Kuri squash is a red-orange Japanese winter squash. Each fruit is 5-8 lbs each and teardrop-shaped. The orange gold flesh is smooth, dry, sweet, and rich; a great yielding and keeping variety. This is truly a stunner in the garden.
It can be used in all kinds of sweet and savory recipes, like soups, casseroles, flat breads, muffins and curries. The small size is perfect for making soups and stews for a family of four. Its sweet, nutty flavor is what gives it its name, as the word “kuri” is the Japanese word for chestnut. It is one of the Kaga (old name of Kanazawa) traditional vegetables.
Where To Buy Red Kuri Squash Seeds
I purchased my seeds at rareseeds.com. Being in Zone 9b, we have a long growing season. I started seeds in June, for a Fall harvest. As the vines die off with the frost, the fruits continue to hang on effortlessly. Each vine produced 4-6 fruits. I planted two of these and that was sufficient for fresh eating and storage through the winter months. Below is a snapshot of the planting information.
- 92 days to harvest
- Full Sun
- Sprouts in 5-10 Days
- Ideal Temperature: 70-95 Degrees F
- Plant Spacing: 18-36″
- Frost Hardy: No
- Cucurbita maxima
How To Grow Red Kuri Squash
These are the vining variety and my vines grow to about 12-15 feet. I let it trail off a raised bed and sprawl onto the ground. They can be grown vertically on a sturdy trellis as the fruit is not too heavy. This year, I plan to grow them vertically on a Hortonova trellis.
Red Kuri, like all squashes like rich soil, full sun, a space to sprawl/climb and consistent watering. I did not notice any pests attack the plant.
How To Store Red Kuri Squash
For the longest shelf life, its advisable to store winter squashes in cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. Although a whole squash can last for up to 9 months, do inspect them regularly for signs of rot. The ideal temperature for storing a whole red kuri squash is around 50 F. Once it is sliced, it will keep for up to a week in the fridge. It freezes well, and you can remove the flesh from the rind. It will keep for up to six months in the freezer.
I harvested mine through October and November and stored them indoors, away from direct sunlight in my laundry room.
How To Cook Red Kuri Squash
You can substitute Red Kuri squash for practically any recipe that calls for winter squash, including butternut, acorn and kabocha. Red kuri squash has a mild, nutty flavor which is sweet. It has a smooth and creamy texture. We like to eat it as a winter soup, or as flavorful and spicy Thai and Indian curries. As a sauteed or roasted dish added to salads, would bring out the sweetness in the squash.
Is the skin of the squash edible?
Though the skin of the Kuri squash is tough, upon cooking it becomes edible and turns soft. This sets it apart from other winter squashes like ash gourd, butternut, or the kabocha squash. To peel the skin off or not is a matter of personal preference. Roasting, baking, sauteing, simmering, and steaming are common cooking techniques. Similar to other winter squashes, you can use red kuri for making soups, pasta sauces, chutneys, curries and stews.
Red Kuri Squash Thai Curry
Here is a Thai curry recipe that I made with the red kuri squash. I used ripened chillies from my overwintered chilli plants in the greenhouse. The other ingredients from my garden are home grown ginger (click here to learn how to grow ginger), Kaffir lime, cilantro which is prolific and loving the cool weather (click here for tips on growing productive cilantro), and the flavorful lemon grass. Here is the link to brand of organic coconut milk I buy by the case.
The recipe has simple ingredients from the kitchen garden, and is wholesome for a quick lunch or dinner.
A Quick and Easy Recipe
Add some oil in a pot, and add one finely chopped onions and a tsp of turmeric and a bit of salt. After the onion softens, add the cubed squash, chopped chillies, kafir lime and lemon grass leaves. Mix well, cover and cook for a few minutes as the squash turns tender. To this, and add a can of coconut milk and some water if desired. Heat gently on low heat for a few minutes. Turn off heat and add chopped cilantro and spring onions. Serve with brown rice or jasmine rice for a healthy wholesome meal.
I hope you enjoyed this spotlight on the Red Kuri squash and I hope you try this in your own garden. As the seeds for the squash are heirloom, you can save them for future use. Interestingly, the seeds are edible too!
I’ll soon return with a spotlight on another vegetable. In the comments section below, please share if you have grown these and if you have any special recipes to try it with.
Video – September Garden abundance and new plantings
Showcasing the south facing bed with Kuri squash, Armenian cucumbers, prolific basil and new plantings of Cauliflower suitable for our Mediterranean-like Bay Area weather.
