I first came across chayote in Costa Rica, as it’s commonly sold on the street. It tastes like a mild squash. The outside green skin is thin and can be peeled using a peeler. The inner white flesh is rather firm, but very mild in flavor and reminds me of a cucumber. It also has a sort of pit/seed in the center, that must be removed. Apparently, this fruit is native of Central America, where they often consume it cooked. I fried mine and they were similar to squash, but it retained it’s firmness. However, the Chinese also enjoy it raw and I like the crunchy texture.
Winnie said in China, it’s called “fao show“. Please be aware, that this is my way of spelling it as it sounds, and I’m sure this incorrect spelling is terrible. She translated it as Buddha’s Hand, and it’s also referred to as his palms. Personally, it should have been called his fist…We get this in our local Asian market. Winnie showed us a very simple salad using the chayote raw. Although it’s simple, it’s very refreshing and makes a wonderful compliment to strong flavored dishes like the Chinese Pork Chop.
If you’ve never tried it, why not give it a go? If you use chayote in your family meals, how do you enjoy it?
- 2 chayote
- 6 spring onions
- salt
- Peel chayote and cut in half.
- remove pit in center
- slice into julienne strips
- place in a bowl of water and sprinkle with salt. This is what helps keep its crunchy texture.
- Chop the spring onions and fry it in salad oil.
- Add salt to the onions.
- Drain chayote and pour the hot oil with spring onion on the chayote and mix.
- That's it!
I never thought one could eat it raw! I usually boil it and add ground fresh coconut with red chilli and cumin seeds.
Oh, that sounds good too Deepa! I’ll try that.