The other day I saw some chestnuts (kuri 栗 in Japanese) in the Japanese store I go to, so I grabbed some feeling nostalgic about fall ingredients in Japan. I put them on the kitchen counter thinking that I would make Kuri Gohan (Chestnut Rice) later on that evening. But the next time I saw them, they were in the BBQ grill nicely being roasted by my husband.
He also had some memories of enjoying chestnuts while growing up with his grandmother. He saw chestnuts on the kitchen counter and he couldn’t resist the urge to roast them. We end up eating these as a snack with our children and they loved it, especially my daughter.
By the way, if you are thinking of traveling to Japan, I think fall and spring in Japan are the most beautiful seasons, and I’d definitely recommend end of March to early April for cherry blossom viewing and mid November to early December for fall foliage (the time varies depends on the location in Japan).
Fall used to be my favorite season before coming to San Francisco. Here we don’t see too many trees turning colors like how it is in Japan. My husband is on the plane to Tokyo right now for business and I’m so jealous! He gets to meet my mom one night and he also gets to eat some seasonal food!
The four seasons are very distinct in Japan (similar to US East Coast) and the Japanese enjoy different seasonal ingredients. On Wednesday I will share another fall ingredient/recipe that is popular in Japan.
But for now, check out this easy roasted chestnut recipe from my husband. Have a great week everyone!
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Roasted Chestnuts
Ingredients
- chestnuts
Instructions
- Start the grill. You don’t need as much charcoal as you might need for grilling steak or fish.
- Using a small, sharp knife, cut a cross into the skin of each chestnut (my husband did not do this process, but the chestnuts luckily didn’t explode.).
- Roast over the BBQ grill covered for 15-20 minutes, or until you see the skin opens up.
[…] eating, so it makes sense to enjoy what the season brings forth during Tsukimi. You can find chestnuts (kuri), kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), persimmons, Japanese sweet potatoes, taro, grapes and pears and […]
I love chest nuts but I have always struggled to peel them… do you have any tips?
Hi Lu! Hahaha… I know… It’s hard to peel them and I think it depends on the chestnuts too… some are easier than others. I start peeling from scored area and and use a spoon or knife to peel it. I always wish that I have a personal chestnut peeler for me. 😀 he he he.
So glad I came upon your blog, I have a few Korean and Japanese friends and I absolutely love the food they prepare, your recipes help me make dishes in my kitchen that remind my friends of home..Great blog..
Hi Lesley! Thank you for finding my blog! 🙂 I am happy to hear you enjoy Korean and Japanese food. I hope my recipes are easy to follow and you will enjoy them. Thank you for your kind comment!
Yum! I remember eating these chestnuts in Vancouver. There were street vendors that sold roasted chestnuts. Can these be baked in the oven, Nami? I don’t have grill at home.
Hi Candice! I just googled and saw several recipes using the oven. Here’s one:http://homecooking.about.com/od/nutrecipes/r/blmisc38.htm. Hope this helps.
Dear Nami, I enjoy your little stories about family and Japan. If you want to see beautiful Fall Foliage in the USA you and your family should plan a trip to a North Eastern State like Ct., VT. or New Hampshire. Also Michigan has beautiful fall colors. The season is October and November. I hope one day you could plan a cross country trip for the whole family.
I enjoy some of your recipes and did like your husbands idea of roasting the Chess Nuts on the barbeque. Never thought of that. Tell him Thank You very much.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn! Thank you for your kind comment. 🙂 I’ve been to NH once, and also Boston in fall, but I was probably 1-2 weeks early for perfect foliage. I definitely need to take a trip there to fully enjoy autumn. I really, really miss this season. Today was close to 80F here and I feel very strange to call it autumn… Thanks for writing, Marilyn!
The photos are beautiful! Makes me thinking of The Christmas Song — “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” Somehow, I always mentally forget about fall and look forward to winter and Christmas, but hearing your stories and seeing your photographs make me want to appreciate fall a little more. =)
Thank you Kimmi! To be honest, I’ve never related chestnuts with Christmas before, so it was interesting to receive many feedback with “Christmas” in it. 🙂 I’d love to enjoy chestnuts till Christmas if they are available!