Instructions

Make the Khorasan stuffing.

• Soak your Khorasan either overnight or for an hour in hot water, so you'll have the best texture when you're done cooking!
• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and a good pinch of salt, and sauté until the onion cooks down some and is translucent. Stir frequently, so the garlic won't burn. This takes around 7 to 10 minutes.
• Add the remaining stuffing ingredients -- except the broth and juice -- to the pan, tossing to coat really well, and cook for just a minute to toast the Khorasan lightly. Stir in the vegetable broth and apple juice, and cover the pot.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 to 55 minutes, until the Khorasan is fully cooked. Remove the pan from the heat, cover the pot again with the lid if you opened it up, and set this aside to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Taste and add more salt, if needed. If there’s a lot of excess liquid in the pot, transfer the stuffing to a colander to drain before stuffing it back into the squash. Don’t worry, it still tastes delicious after draining! Khorasan can vary a lot in how much water it soaks in, so I like to err on the side of too much liquid.

Meanwhile, roast the kabocha squash.

• Preheat the oven to 400° F, and mix together the garlic, onion, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
• Slice the top off of the squash and remove the seeds and guts from inside. If you're having trouble getting those guts out, scrape them away with a metal spoon.
• Spray the squash all over with oil, making sure to spray the flesh around the top so it doesn't dry out, then rub on the spice mixture that you just made.
• Place the pumpkin, cut-side-up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it's fork-tender and a little browned on the edges.

Assemble and serve.

• When the squash is done roasting, remove it from the oven. Fill it with the stuffing, then place the whole thing back into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.