Kabocha Pumpkin Meatballs with Rice Flour
Adjust the amount of rice flour to be added to the kabocha puree depending on the consistency of the dough. The filling can be made ahead of time and frozen, so it will be easy to wrap around with the dough. The sauce is mild and smooth that helps these meatballs go down the throat easily, particularly for the elderly.
-
Rice flour is used as a binding agent to make the kabocha pumpkin dough. It also adds the moisture and a slightly mochi-like texture to the dough.
-
All rice flour is naturally gluten-free. Make this dish completely gluten-free by using gluten-free substitutes for other ingredients as needed.
-
Japanese ingredients such as dried mushrooms, miso, dashi, mirin, and sake Japanese rice wine can be purchased online or at Asian grocery stores.
4 servings
Ingredients
For the dough
| 9oz/250g | kabocha pumpkin or pumpkin puree (about 1 cup) |
|---|---|
| ½ cup (90g) | rice flour |
|---|---|
For the filling
| ¼ (60g) | onion, minced (about ¼ cup) |
|---|---|
| 3 | dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water and minced |
|---|---|
| 5oz/150g | ground beef |
|---|---|
| Vegetable oil as needed | |
| 2 teaspoons (12g) | miso |
|---|---|
| 2 teaspoons (8g) | sugar |
|---|---|
| 2 teaspoons (12ml) | soy sauce |
|---|---|
| 2 teaspoons (12ml) | mirin |
|---|---|
| 2 teaspoons (10ml) | sake Japanese rice wine |
|---|---|
| 2 tablespoons (24g) | potato starch |
|---|---|
| ¼ cup (60ml) | water |
|---|---|
For the sauce
| ⅔ cup (160ml) | water to make dashi broth |
|---|---|
| ½ teaspoon (1.5g) | dashi powder |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon (18ml) | soy sauce |
|---|---|
| 1⅓ tablespoons (20ml) | mirin |
|---|---|
| ½ teaspoon (3g) | salt |
|---|---|
| 2 teaspoons (8g) | potato starch |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon (15ml) | water to be mixed with potato starch |
|---|---|
| Green onions for garnish | |
| Kaiware radish sprouts (optional) | |
Directions
For the dough
Remove the seeds and skin from the kabocha pumpkin. Cook in the microwave for 4 minutes. Mash with a back of a fork. Cool and mix with rice flour. Set aside.
For the filling
Heat the oil on a skillet over medium high heat and sauté the onions. Add the mushrooms and ground beef. When cooked thoroughly, add miso, sugar, soy sauce, mirin and sake. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.
In a small bowl, combine potato starch and water, and add to the meat mixture. When it has thickened, set aside to cool. If preparing in advance, freeze the filling in 2-3 portions, tightly wrapped.
Boil the steamer.
Using a spoon, take a golf ball sized portion of the kabocha puree in hand. Flatten it and place a spoonful of the filling in the center. Seal tightly on the top and tuck in the seam. Form a smooth ball and place them on a heat-proof dish. Repeat. Cover with plastic wrap.
Steam the pumpkin meatballs for 15 minutes.
For the sauce
In a saucepan, combine water, dashi powder, soy sauce, and mirin. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl, combine potato starch with water. Add to the sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens.
Plate the meatballs in individual bowls. Pour the sauce and garnish with green onions and kaiware radish sprouts (optional). Serve.
- This recipe uses US customary units. Measurement equivalents include: 1 teaspoon = 5ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, and 1 US cup = 237ml or 8fl oz. (1 metric cup = 250ml or 8.5fl oz.)
- The cooking time using microwave oven in this recipe is based on 1,000W in the US.
- The temperature and baking time may be different depending on the oven used. Please adjust accordingly.
- All rice flour is naturally gluten-free. Make this dish completely gluten-free by using gluten-free substitutes for other ingredients as needed.