The Curious Journey of an Ancient Indigenous Gourd to Japan

A fruit so packed with nutrients (and natural anti-diabetic properties) that it's become known as a vegetable

Somewhere deep in the Andes 12,000 years ago, a great gourd grew and was stumbled upon by humans. By 8,000 BCE, the nahuati shamans recognized its healing potential and domesticated what became known as the Mexican guaje using it for food and its dried skins to craft vessels (hence the term for calabash; bottle gourd). Guaje thrived everywhere in all climates, branching into 141 taxa, nourishing peoples throughout Mexico, Central and South America, and later, brought by European explorers, indigenous peoples throughout the United States. Its spiritual and healing powers were revered, attested to by the gourd’s frequent appearances in traditional Mexican murals and ancient texts. Its medicinal properties were assumed to be vast what not could it cure? Folk medicine practices insisted it could magic away what ails you; intestinal parasites, headache, leprosy, constipation, flatulence, indigestion, colic, hemorrhoids, fever, sore chest, paralysis, herpes, lung inflammation, asthma, and even bad skin.

Today we know these crops from the Cucurbitaceae family as an array of yellow and orange-fleshed pumpkins and winter squash. The Portuguese found these curcubits while colonizing Brazil and brought them to Asia and Europe. The Japanese kabocha, smaller but similar to a Hubbard, the bumpy, green giant sheepdog of squash that can hit 20 pounds, is said to have originated from a composite of “Cambodia” and the Portuguese word for pumpkin, abóbora.

Were they right? Indeed, winter squash and pumpkins, though higher carbohydrate vegetables, are uniquely impactful on health. Cucurbita moschata Duchesne (cushaw, pumpkin family) and Cucurbita maxima Duchesne (Buttercup, Hubbard family) have anti-diabetic properties enhancing insulin secretion and improving glucose metabolism in a non-insulin-dependent manner. Pulp extracts have been used to decrease high blood glucose levels in a few supervised critically ill, diabetic patients who no longer responded to drugs. Though not fully understood, researchers theorize polysaccharides found in these pumpkins and squashes improve blood sugar by down-regulating the oxidative stress that causes inflammation.

The yellow-orange pulp in winter gourds is packed with nutritional value delivering much more than you can get from white potatoes, peas, and corn.

In addition to anti-inflammatory polysaccharides and antioxidant bio-compounds, they are rich in important carotenoids, vitamin A, iron, phosphorus, calcium, fiber, vitamins, and minerals you don’t want to miss. These natural bioactive substances that nature packaged for you in food have been shown to fight oxidative stress with aging, and, ultimately, the chronic diseases induced by inflammation; cancer, hypertension, immune dysregulation, and hyperlipidemia.

There are so many good things packed in there that, though technically a fruit, nutritionists consider pumpkin and winter squash as “vegetables” for their high nutritional impact.

Perhaps that’s why the winter squash and pumpkin have migrated all over the world and into every global cuisine. A Libyan Helwat al Yaktin is a sweet butternut squash pudding with ginger and cinnamon. The Japanese add kabocha and mushrooms to simmering miso, and the Lebanese stuff their kousa mahsi with spiced ground beef and rice then braise them delicately in tomato sauce. Try this Sicilian pumpkin agrodolce to put out as an antipasti for guests or this Spaghetti Squash with Garlic, Olive oil, and Crumbs. Or the easiest of recipes (requires no recipe), make the sweet delicata below.

When shopping for squash, look for a firm rind with the stem attached, ideally heavy for size. Avoid punctures and sunken spots as tender-skinned squash can be unripe and lacking in flavor. Store in a cool, dry sunny place to ripen as time in storage will enhance flavor (3 weeks recommended). Ripe squash can be stored for up to 3 months.

To cut -Wash the squash then perforate with a fork in several places. Place the whole squash in the microwave for 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool. Grasp the squash firmly and slice through the center to mid-squash. Flip the squash over and slice through the other side.

Get to know your squashes! The variety available is vast and each squash has its own flavor profile

Oven-Roasted Delicata rings- enjoy them with the edible skin which makes a beautiful presentation at the table

Spaghetti Squash mild and nutty (2/3 the calories and 60% of the carbohydrate content/cup of butternut squash)

Sugar pumpkin medium sweet and earthy taste

Hubbard mildly sweet and most similar to pumpkin

Kabocha very sweet and drier in texture, great for stews, soups, and casseroles

Red Kuri spicier than kabocha

Butternut Very sweet, butterscotch undertones, sweetens with storage

Buttercup creamy and mild

Acorn nutty and earthy

Delicata very sweet and yam-like, dessert-like, a beautiful, striated edible shell

Carnival a flavor hybrid between an Acorn and Delicata

Sweet Dumpling sweet and tender

To prepare Delicata, the oblong squash should be small enough to slice into 2-3” thick rings. The skin is thin and edible (keeping the skin in tact makes presentation at the table elegant.) No need to peel or remove. Use a spoon to scoop out the soft pulp and seeds. Toss in olive oil and roast on a sheet pan at 425 F 25 minutes until fork tender and the edges develop a nice caramel brown. The flesh is sweet and does not, in my opinion, require glazing with maple syrup or honey. Eat with labne and pistachios or stuff them with farro and cranberries- they are a wonderful creative palette.

Stay Tuned for Part II