Kanpy Pickled Pumpkin Strips, 100g · East & West

Kanpyo is a classic Japanese ingredient made from sliced calabash gourd, and it's especially known as a traditional filling for sushi rolls. Here, it comes ready-made and seasoned, so you can incorporate it directly into the filling along with sushi rice, nori, cucumber, avocado, tamago, tofu, mushrooms, or pickled vegetables.

Its flavor is delicate, sweet-salty, and slightly umami, and its texture adds a more authentic Japanese feel to the roll. It's a small addition that can elevate homemade sushi from simple to precise, colorful, and more interesting, especially when building a vegetarian roll platter or wanting to add depth without spiciness.

Tips
Use kanpyo as a narrow filling in the center of the roll, along with crunchy vegetables or tamago for textural balance. For a successful vegetarian roll, combine kanpyo with cucumber, avocado, pickled carrots, and sesame. You can also chop it and add it to a Japanese rice bowl or bento. After opening, store in the refrigerator and close tightly according to package instructions.