[Microwave] Pumpkin Salad without a knife: Simple with only 3 ingredients, yet 'rich and delicious...'

Hello, I'm Furao, a former salaryman turned home cook^^

There are more and more autumn-like days where I feel like
putting on a light jacket before heading out.

As the season shifts to autumn, I'm keeping the season in mind for my recipes too. This time, it's a recipe using
pumpkin, which will be in season from now through winter^^

The sweetness of the pumpkin and the saltiness of the cream cheese are a perfect match. You can enjoy a
rich flavor that fills your mouth, and I'll make it in the microwave without using a knife!

Once again, this is a recipe that is easy, delicious, and made only with seasonings you have at home. Please take a look^^

Ingredients (serves 5-6)

• Pumpkin... 1/4 of a pumpkin (350-400g with seeds and pulp attached)

• Cream cheese... 4 pieces (Kiri size) (60-70g total)

• Mayonnaise... 4 tablespoons

There are only 3 ingredients! Furthermore, I've
standardized the amounts to '4' to make this recipe easy to understand and remember^^

*If making with 1/8 of a pumpkin, use half the amount of cheese and mayonnaise. The heating time for this case is listed at the end of the 'Instructions'.

Instructions

Rinse the pumpkin (1/4) under running water, then rinse and remove the seeds and pulp with a spoon.

Wrap it, place it in a heat-resistant container, and heat in the microwave at 600W for 5 minutes.

*During this heating time, cream cheese should be cut into cubes (bite-sized pieces) and set aside.

Flip it over and heat again at 600W for 5 minutes.

Remove the wrap, add mayonnaise (4 tablespoons) and...

Mix.

The skin has also become soft, so you can easily mix it using the measuring spoon you used to measure the mayonnaise.
It's great that no strong force is needed.

Once mixed until it reaches a "creamy" consistency like potato salad, add the cubed cream cheese (4 pieces) and...

Fold it in gently, and it's done. Since you can make a
generous 5-6 servings at once, it's perfect for a party menu, and if you let it cool and store it in the refrigerator, it can also serve as a make-ahead dish for the next day.

Pumpkins harvested in the summer reach their peak flavor after a few months of curing as we head from autumn into winter. Whether it's for the upcoming best season
"Halloween" or "Winter Solstice", please make use of this "Pumpkin Salad" recipe whenever you need a pumpkin dish! ^^

Introducing variations as well (Updated 2023/11/1)

I am adding information about "variations like this are also delicious" that I tried myself or learned from followers as an update ^^

| Variation with 1/8 of a pumpkin

For those who say "I only need a smaller amount," please try it with 1/8 of a pumpkin! In that case, the heating time of "600W for 3 minutes x 2 times" will give you the perfect result. Please adjust according to your microwave's heating power and the size of the pumpkin ^^

| Variation with other cheeses

For those who say "cream cheese is expensive...," I was told that substituting it with "Camembert cheese" was delicious! [From a follower]

| Variation without mayonnaise

For those who say "I can't eat mayonnaise...," I was told that substituting it with "soy milk yogurt, olive oil, and vinegar" was delicious! [From a follower]

| Variation with frozen pumpkin

I was told that if you use "frozen pumpkin" instead of fresh pumpkin, thawing it as described on the package, you can make it even faster! [From a follower]

| Variation on crackers

I was told that putting pumpkin salad on "crackers" and enjoying it canape-style also sounds delicious! [From a follower] It's perfect for a
party menu, isn't it? ^^

| Variation with fruit

I was told that it would be delicious to mix in "apples" or "raisins" along with the cream cheese! [From a follower] I also tried it with
"raisins", and it became more of a dessert-like dish, which was to my liking^^

| Arrange with maple syrup

I was told that drizzling "maple syrup" on top as a finishing touch makes it moist and increases the sweetness, making it delicious! [From a follower] When I want to make it
dessert-like, I definitely want to try this^^

| Arrange with nuts

I was told that it would be delicious to mix in "nuts (such as cashews)" along with the cream cheese! [From a follower] I feel like adding a
new texture would be fun^^

| Arrange with beans

I was told that it is delicious to reduce the amount of pumpkin and add "mixed beans" instead! [From a follower] I feel like both
nutrition and satisfaction would increase!

| Arrange with lemon juice

I was told that it would be delicious to add "lemon juice" at the same time as adding the cheese! [From a follower] Since it adds acidity and
freshness, I felt it would be easier to eat^^

| Arrange with pepper

I was told that sprinkling "pepper" on top as a finishing touch gives it more of a "savory dish feel", so it is recommended for those who don't like sweet side dishes! [From a follower]

| Arrange with salted kelp

I was told that it would be delicious to add "salted kelp" at the same time as adding the cheese! [From a follower]

| Arrange with onion

I was told that it would be delicious to add "chopped onion" at the same time as adding the cheese! [From a follower]

| Arrange as a gratin

I was told that it would be delicious to remake the recipe as a "gratin"! [From a follower]

| Arrange as croquettes

I was told that it would be delicious to bread the recipe and make it into "croquettes"! [From a follower] I also feel like this is a
sure thing! Since we don't deep-fry at home, if anyone has tried this, I would love for you to share your impressions with me^^

Besides this, if you have any recommended arrangements, I would be happy if you could let me know in the comments on note or Stand FM, etc.^^

"Wait a minute!"

Some of you might have noticed, saying, "You wrote 'no knife needed'" at the beginning of the article, but then you mentioned 'cutting the cream cheese'.cutting Isn't that a contradiction?"

Actually, when cutting cream cheese, it is overwhelmingly easier to cut using a dampened toothpick rather than a knife.

Butter and yokan are "sticky" items that are difficult to cut with a knife because they stick to the blade, but a "dampened toothpick" doesn't stick easily, so it is very convenient. Please
give it a try once ^^

Bonus & Next Preview

I have prepared many other time-saving recipes that can be made in the microwave. They are compiled in the next
magazine, so please take a look ^^

Also, I do a live stream on Stand.fm every weekday morning at 9:00. I share "introductions and deep dives into news that caught my attention" and "reports on my activities as a culinary expert" for about
30 minutes, so please feel free to come and take a look ^^

That is all for this time!
Next time, I will cook that vegetable which is packed with valuable nutrients like iron, vitamins, and calcium, in a delicious way without wasting any of it ^^
Please follow me and stay tuned.