Peeling Hokkaido Pumpkin »Is It Necessary?

Hard pumpkin skins, soft pulp

Pumpkin fruits grow big and heavy and often lie on the bare ground for weeks before harvest. You therefore need a particularly firm and stable shell that reliably protects the pulp and the kernels from moisture and other harmful influences.

To get to the delicious pulp, pumpkins have to be cut open and the thick skin removed. It's not that easy at all, because there are many problems lurking:

• Pumpkin is difficult to hold on to
• the kitchen knife slides with difficulty through the hard shell
• peeling with one hand is exhausting
• there is a risk of injury

Are there any tips and tricks that make peeling easier? And does the Hokkaido have to be peeled off, like the other types of pumpkin?

The special thing about the Hokkaido bowl

When it comes to the ingredients alone, the shell of a Hokkaido is fully edible. But two questions remain:

• Can our chewing organ handle the shell?
• Does the bowl taste good at all?

The good news: when Hokkaido squash is boiled or fried with the skin, not only is the pulp soft as butter, but also the skin. It can be consumed without any problems. When the pumpkin is mashed, the peel mixes with the pulp.

Peel to enrich the aroma

The skin of this type of pumpkin tastes a little more intense than the pulp and brings this spicy note into every dish. To do without it would also be disadvantageous in terms of taste. In addition, the ingredients in the shell are extremely healthy for us.

Pay attention to good looks

Since the Hokkaido pumpkin can be eaten with the skin on, it is important to ensure that the skin is in perfect condition when purchasing the fruit. They shouldn't have any rotten spots or damage.

The handle has to go

The woody end of the stem that is still on the Hokkaido pumpkin is not suitable for consumption and must be removed. To do this, lay the pumpkin on one side and cut off the stem. A knife is suitable for this Saw teeth best as it won't slip off the shell.

It is sufficient to wash thoroughly

Like all other fruits, the Hokkaido pumpkin must be cleaned thoroughly before preparation. This applies to all pumpkins, regardless of whether they are organic pumpkins from your own garden or purchased specimens. The first step is always to wash it thoroughly, even if the pumpkin is then peeled.

• use running, lukewarm water
• Rub Hokkaido well
• A vegetable brush is ideal

Small damaged areas can be cut out generously. However, if the pumpkin is littered with many rotten spots, it may no longer be usable. Then it should be disposed of completely.

When the shell can go

In the case of organic pumpkins, the peel can remain on, as pesticide residues are not to be expected. Chemicals do not always have to adhere to fruits from conventional cultivation, but many consumers play it safe and remove the peel.

Along with butternut, Hokkaido is one of the two types of pumpkin that can be tasted and consumed raw. It can be cut into pieces to enrich salads or mixed into smoothies. Under certain circumstances, it may be necessary to remove the shell beforehand.

This is how you get the peel off

If you have decided to remove the bowl, a few tips and tricks from everyday kitchen practice could help you. The following is the process in individual steps:

1. Wash the Hokkaido thoroughly.
2. Put the fruit on a large and thick wooden board.
3. Cut a slice from the end of the pumpkin and then place the fruit on the cut end so that it stands securely.
4. Then cut the Hokkaido in half.
5. Remove the pumpkin seeds with a spoon.
6. Cut the pumpkin halves into smaller, even-sized pieces that are easy to hold in your hand.
7. Now peel off the peel with a sharp knife.

A second method

1. Place the pumpkin on a thick wooden board.
2. Cut a slice from the pumpkin head and the pumpkin end and then place the fruit on one of the cut surfaces.
3. Hold the fruit with one hand by placing it on the cut surface on top and applying a little pressure.
4. Place a large knife at the top of the shell and cut the shell with a downward sawing movement, always keeping the knife close to the pumpkin shape.
5. Repeat the process until the entire shell has been removed.
6. Lift the pumpkin to see if there are any bits of peel left. If so, remove them too.

Conclusion for quick readers:

• Bowl: Hokkaido bowl is edible, tasty, spicy and healthy
• Consistency: becomes soft after cooking and frying; does not have to be peeled
• Exceptions: If it is not organic; when used in the raw state
• Cleaning: lukewarm, running water; scrub with a vegetable brush
• Peeling: remove the stem; cut in half; coring; cut into small pieces; peel
• Alternative: remove the skin from the whole pumpkin fruit
• Step 1: put the Hokkaido on a wooden board; cut away both ends
• Step 2: Set to interface; Put your hand on it and hold on
• Step 3: Cut the shell piece by piece from top to bottom with sawing movements
• Tip: run a knife along the fruit so that little pulp is removed.