Variety
Uchiki Kuri
The Japanese 'red onion squash' — sweet, smooth, and outstanding for roasting
Uchiki Kuri (also called Red Kuri or Onion Squash) is a Japanese variety with beautiful tear-drop shaped fruit and brilliant orange-red skin. The flesh is dense, deeply orange, and exceptionally sweet with a chestnut-like quality that makes it one of the finest eating squash available. The thin skin is edible when roasted. An outstanding variety for kitchen use and a firm favourite among food-focused growers.
Flavour
Very sweet, dense, and slightly nutty with a chestnut-like undertone that distinguishes it from standard butternut squash. The flesh is dry and concentrated — lower water content than many varieties — which means it roasts to a deeply caramelised, almost candied result. The thin, edible skin is an advantage for quick preparations.
In the kitchen
Outstanding roasted: halve, remove seeds, and roast cut-side up at 190°C with olive oil and salt until caramelised and tender, 40–50 minutes. The thin skin crisps beautifully. Also excellent in squash soup, risotto, or puréed as a sauce for pasta. Halves can be placed cut-side down on a grill over indirect heat and cooked for 45–60 minutes.
Growing
Sow indoors in April; plant out after frosts in the sunniest, most sheltered position. Plants trail vigorously — allow 2m+ space or train up a sturdy trellis (the small fruit can be supported in nets). Harvest when the skin is fully orange-red and the stem is dry and corky. Stores well for 4–6 months in a cool dry place.