Black sesame baked goya-maki

I love contrasts like this bitter squash with sweet nutty filling. It could be delicious raw in another season, but today it’s baked.

all about go~ya

The filling is sweet like a cake, soft and nutty like a brownie.

The goya has this raw and green texture and keeps it through baking. Take away the white center.

Fill and bake about 20 minutes.

A bouquet of delicious Winter flowers.

Go go-ya ! an Okinawan super food

That’s the beast. Goya. Say go-ya. It’s the infamous bitter cucumber. I didn’t like it much the first time… That really depends how it’s prepared. Now it’s one of my favorites.

What is great about it ? Well, it has all the antioxidants of dark greens, watery texture and hydrating property of cucumbers, fiber and also thanks to bitterness it’s great to eat in hot weather.

A few years ago, that was not common in Osaka. That’s known as an Okinawan vegetable. But people got hooked to it, and more was proposed on markets, then they tried to grow it even in “continental” Japan. So we get it cheaply in season, available all year. The hot season is ending now… but I still get it a couple of times.

Red seeds indicate extreme maturation in sunlight. They are good, just eat them at once.

There are white ones too, with similar taste.

You simply need to discard seeds and scrub the white part.

Often sliced that way.

Preparation tips :

1. eat it raw, or only slightly cooked before it loses vivid colors : salads, steamed, stir-fry, etc
2. you can reduce bitterness by scrubbing well, slicing finely and salting then letting 20 minutes and rinsing

What to do with it ?

kefta spag’
tofu chigae
pasta avocanaise

colorslaw
panda salad

As a drink :
Shiri-shiri with goya
Another goya shiri shiri

dashi’t pickles
Go~ya champloo~ and Okinawan soba
white bean goya
chakin egg sushi and natsu chirashi
white goya in pesto rice

Turmeric spaghetti with chicken kefta and goya, in yogurt sauce

A colorful and delicious lunch. As usual, it’s quick and easy to prepare.

These pasta…

…with this sauce.

I cooked the pasta in water with turmeric powder.

The keftas are meatballs made of mince lean chicken, coriander seeds, dry basil, ground sesame, red chili and I’ve added oil fried red onion.

Once they are cooked, I add yogurt and a little potato starch to make the sauce, salt, pepper and slices of goya bitter squash.

Side dish : kabocha tart (see here).

Tofu chigae with goya

When the Korean hot soup meets Summer go~ya…
The bitter squash makes this Winter dish totally perfect for a hot day (yes, still f… hot here, it’s mid-summer now).