Kabocha and Pork Stew

Tender pork, onions, and chunks of kabocha squash are coated in a thick, soy-flavored sauce in this Asian-inspired pork stew that can be served over rice for a delicious dinner.

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 253 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ⅓ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (Optional)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons cooking sherry
• 2 cups boiling water, or as needed
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed, or more to taste
• 1 pound fatty ground pork
• 1 (3 pound) unpeeled kabocha squash - halved, stemmed, and seeded
• 4 green onions, white part only, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder, or more to taste
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste (Optional)
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (Optional)
• 1 tablespoon steak sauce (such as A1®) (Optional)
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce, or more to taste
• 1 sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch squares
• 1 teaspoon Szechuan chile powder

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Mix cooking sherry, cornstarch, soy sauce, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl for the marinade. Pour over pork in a large bowl and stir to coat.

Step 2

Cut kabocha into 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks. (The skin is edible and nutritious, so keep it on!) Set aside.

Step 3

Place pork and marinade in a large wok over high heat; cook and stir until crumbly but barely cooked, 3 to 6 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.

Step 4

Add olive oil to the wok and reduce heat to medium-high. Add green onion whites to hot oil; cook and stir until onions begin to brown and turn crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic gloves, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and curry powder; cook for 1 minute, being careful not to burn spices. Add kabocha and cook for 2 minutes.

Step 5

Add just enough boiling water to cover kabocha pieces. Add soy sauce, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, steak sauce, oyster sauce, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir in pork. Cover and simmer with the lid ajar until kabocha is fork-tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in onion, cover, turn off the heat, and let steam until onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chile powder and serve.