• First, we clean and chop the squash. Kabocha squash can be quite hard, so we need to be careful when cutting it. Any protrusions should be trimmed off, as they won't cook properly.
  
• Cut the squash into pieces roughly like this. You can round off the edges like this, which is a Japanese cutting technique to soften sharp corners.
  
• In a pot, combine water, dashi powder, kombu seaweed, and the chopped squash.
  
• If you have an otoshibuta, place it on top. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. As you can see in the previous step, the squash is not completely submerged, but the otoshibuta helps prevent excess evaporation, so this amount of water is sufficient.
  
• Once the water with the squash begins to boil, add sugar and mirin, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Then add soy sauce and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. After that, turn off the heat and set aside the cooked squash. We will need this "broth" for the sauce.
  

For the sauce:

• Heat a pot and add the ground meat. I don’t add any oil.
  
• Add sake and soy sauce.
  
• While continuously stirring, sauté over medium heat, breaking the meat into small pieces.
  
• Once the meat is cooked, add grated fresh ginger (to your taste, or you can omit it entirely if you’re not a fan of ginger) and pour in the broth from the cooked squash.
  
• In a small bowl, dissolve starch in a little water. I used one level tablespoon, but this can vary depending on how much broth you have left. Make sure the starch is fully dissolved, and as you pour it into the meat, stir the sauce quickly to ensure the starch is well mixed and no lumps remain.
  
• You can garnish the dish with finely chopped green onions on top.