06-02-2008, 04:22 PM
quote:I believe that Toogan (pron. "toh-gahn" with an elongate "o" sound in the first syllable) is a Japanese squash that's elongated. The stuff I recall has smooth, thin, light green skin with white innards that cooked to a translucent gelatinous form. If memory serves, it's believed to have some medicinal value. I don't recall that it tasted especially great.
I grabbed them plus something called an Oblong Toogan (15 seeds for $3.95 - so at twenty-six cents per seed they must be something really good. The seeds look like cucumber seeds.)
Speaking of squash, kabocha is a great tasting pumpkin-like squash. The name is Japanese for squash, I think. I don't know what growing conditions are best. Cut one up into 2-3" pieces and steam for about an hour. It doesn't need seasoning, it's so sweet. You could put some shoyu on it. If you really like it, plant the seeds that you clean out of it. It has a dark green or splotchy, green & white skin that is thin and easily eaten when it's cooked.