I’m always surprised when people who are unaccustomed to life in Hawaii make comments on the seasons, especially the islands’ “lack” of them. If you’ve been here for the seasonal changes, we definitely experience climate and weather patterns. We should also consider that autumnal falling leaves giving way to snow is not the only way the world experiences September through December. Native Hawaiians actually call this time “hoolio,” which is a cool and wet season. This period has specific parts that inform islanders in regard to planting and fishing. There’s definitely a cool morning air that settles in with the dawn and some indications that cozy eating can begin.
I, for one, do encourage seasonal eating, if only for my interest in variety. My oldest truly enjoys the food around this time of year, and always looks forward to carrot soup and spicy curries.
This warm veggie bowl is on cue with cool and wet season vibes. I’ve heard of this kind of dish described as a “cooked salad,” which doesn’t sound too appealing. I would prefer it to be called comfort food. It is more filling than the usual salad, and the leftovers can be stored. With this recipe, you still get the crunch of
a salad but not because of any raw vegetables. Don’t sleep on the roasted quinoa. I know it seems silly to cook anything twice, but it’s an easy enough step with the pumpkin. The grains transform into something crisp and nutty and perfect for sprinkling. Adding kabocha and persimmon rounds out the bowl with notes of warmth and a subtle sweetness.
Our seasons may not be freezing temperatures and bare branches, but I appreciate the subtlety. Sure, the dying orange leaves are pretty, but so are our varying shades of vibrant to grayish greens.
Maybe it’s a signal enough that around this time of year, pumpkins show up in all of their glorious forms. Here, we are lucky again, since we have access to kabocha in every season.
Perhaps this bowl should make an appearance again around early spring.
Kabocha and Kale Warm “Salad”
Ingredients:
• 4 cups raw dinosaur kale, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups kabocha, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• Salt
• Avocado or olive oil
• 1/2 fuyu persimmon, sliced
• Pumpkin seeds for sprinkling
Ingredients for dressing:
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
• 1 tablespoon mayo
• 2 tablespoons lemon
• 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
• 2 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
Directions:
On a sheet pan prepared with a sheet of parchment paper, place the pumpkin pieces and spread the quinoa out into an even layer. Drizzle or spray it all with a couple of tablespoons of oil. Then sprinkle with 3-4 pinches of good salt. Stir it around a bit to make sure it all is coated and seasoned.
Roast the pumpkin and quinoa at 425 for 15 minutes. I used an air fryer oven so you may need to give it a few extra minutes to make sure the pumpkin is cooked. Remove it from the oven and set aside. As it cools, the quinoa will crisp up.
While the pumpkin is cooking, add a tablespoon of oil to a heavy saucepan over medium heat. When it is hot, cook the kale just until it is all wilted. Stir as it cooks. This should take about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
To assemble the bowls, add half of the kale to the bottom of each bowl. Top each bowl with half of the kale, pumpkin, quinoa and slices of persimmon. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds as desired. Dress the salad and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.
To make dressing: Blend all the ingredients together in a small food processor, blender jar or with an immersion blender.
Serves 2.
Mariko Jackson writes about family and food. Email her at thelittlefoodie@gmail.com.
