It is pumpkin season here in Hawaii and if you are lucky your yard or a friendly neighbor’s will have a happy, healthy vine of pumpkins that produces an abundance of pumpkins! My friend Goodie needs a wheelbarrow to gather her pumpkins. She started with just one small plant! I adore the Kabocha variety, which is commonly known as a Japanese pumpkin. It has a deep green edible rind and a brilliant orange interior. You can use other kinds of pumpkin in this recipe, but I prefer Kabocha as the rind is very tasty and the flesh has a firm texture that holds up well when roasted. These slices are a bit spicy and you can add more cayenne or hot paprika if you want an added kick. Wilelaiki is the Hawaiian name for the Brazilian pepper tree. The Wilelaiki honey has a nice peppery finish which lends itself well to this spicy recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 kabocha pumpkin (around 6-diameter)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp honey
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne
- ¼ tsp. cumin
- ¼ tsp. coriander ground
- 1/4 tsp. Hungarian hot paprika
- Pinch of Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- ½ tbsp. White balsamic vinegar
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Core and scrape out pumpkin, then slice into ½ to ¾ inch slices vertically. Place in large bowl.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Mince the garlic, then add remaining ingredients in small bowl. Whisk well, and then pour over pumpkin.
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Toss the pumpkin until well coated, and then dump onto non-stick baking sheet or large flat pan. Spread the pumpkin out.
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Place in oven to roast. Flip the slices over after 10 minutes, then roast an additional 5 minutes or until well browned.
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Serve as is, or with a drizzle of balsamic or honey. Serve hot or room temperature.
