Bring a large pot of water to a boil and put on oven mitts. Lower squash carefully into the water. Pierce the top of the squash with a large carving fork and press down to keep it submerged underwater for 5-8 minutes.
Remove the whole kabocha from the boiling water with a strainer and the carving fork. Rinse it under cold water until cool enough to handle.
Section kabocha
First, lay the pumpkin on its side and slice off a thin layer from the bottom. Now your squash should sit flat on a cutting board. It's really helpful not to have it rolling around for the next step.
Poke the sharp end of a large knife into the squash at the top on one side of the stem. Then use a rocking motion to slice down. Repeat on the other side of the stem and cut the whole squash in half.
Remove seeds
Use a large spoon with a dull edge to remove the seeds and pith from inside the kabocha squash. Save the seeds if desired for roasting.
Peel kabocha
You can leave the edible skin on kabocha squash for cutting tempura slices. Most other recipes benefit from removing the peel. Whether you use a vegetable peeler or a pairing knife to peel the kabocha depends on the size and shape of the pieces you want to cut for your recipe.
Basically, smaller pieces can be peeled with a pairing knife like an apple and large wide pieces are easier to skin with a vegetable peeler.
Cut kabocha squash
Thin slices - Soften the skin of a whole kabocha according to the instructions above. Cut the kabocha in halves or quarters and remove the seeds. Slice it into thin pieces and leave the skin on. This cut is ideal for tempura batter-fried squash. The edible skin holds the pieces together and makes them easy to grasp with chopsticks.
Cubes - Slice quartered and seeded kabocha into one-inch thick wedges. Remove the skin with a pairing knife like you would for apple slices. Cut the wedges into even-sized cubes. Roasted cubes of squash are delicious in curries, tossed in risotto, or on top of grain bowls and salads. You can season the cubes with a little oil and maple syrup to help them caramelize while roasting.
Dice - Cut kabocha squash into manageable hunks and remove the seeds. Remove the peel with a vegetable peeler or pairing knife. Dice into even-sized small squares. The smaller cubes cook quickly in stews and stir-frys. You can even boil diced kabocha in the same water as dried pasta.
Match sticks - Halve and remove the seeds from a kabocha squash. Cut it into manageable sections and remove the peel. Use a sharp knife to cut slabs ¼-inch thick and slice the slabs again into matchsticks. Steam the squash lightly and use it in wraps, spring rolls, or burritos. You can also cut thicker sticks for oven fries.
Grated - Soften the skin and section a kabocha squash. Remove the seeds and peel. Grate squash on the large end of a box grater. Yes, you can eat kabocha squash raw! Toss it in a vinaigrette or marinade and let it sit for 10 minutes to soften. Then it's delicious as an addition to deli-style small plates. Don't worry, though, if you still want to cook your pumpkin, grating kabocha squash is the best cut for making fritters.
Wedges - Soften the skin of a whole kabocha according to the instructions above. Section the squash, remove the seeds and peel. Wedges and hunks of kabocha can be steamed, boiled, or roasted. Drizzle with oil and maple syrup, roast, and eat as is. Or, steam or boil and season for an awesome, creamy mash, use as filling in savory pastry-wrapped entrees or blended in soups.
Notes
Important tipsUse oven mitts when lowering kabocha squash into boiling water and while keeping it submerged.A carving fork with long tines is helpful for pressing squash down in the pot of water.Use a long-handled strainer to remove the kabocha squash from the boiling water.Remove kabocha squash as soon as the skin can be pierced with a dinner fork. It only takes 5 to 8 minutes for most kabocha rinds to soften. You'll want the meat of the squash to remain raw to prepare it for a variety of recipes.Trim a thin slice from the bottom of the kabocha squash if necessary to keep it from rocking. You want it to sit flat for the next step.Poke the sharp end of a large knife into the squash at the top on one side of the stem. Then use a rocking motion to slice down. Repeat on the other side of the stem and cut the whole squash in half.Seeds can be removed with a large spoon and saved for roasting if desired.