Chayote (pronouced cha-yoh-teh) have become more common in the vegetable stalls here in California.

The name Chayote or chocho derived from Mexico (Spanish). In the southern U.S. states, they are commonly eaten and known as mirliton or vegetable pear.  Chayote are cultivated in California, Florida, and Louisiana.

The inside of a chayote looks like - the seed is the best part. It is very nutty and creamy. It’s always a treat to open up a chayote and find a huge seed in the middle.

I don’t know if it’s a fruit or vegetable. When seen hanging from the vine, it’s more like a fruit. It’s from the gourd family that also consist of melons, cucumbers and squash.

Some think chayote taste like a potato and can be bland. But I think it has an interesting flavor, like a mix of cucumber and zucchini squash. It is full of vitamin C and other nutrients.

Chayote can also be eaten raw. It’s slightly crunchy. Just shred and mix with a bit of salt, lemon juice, and chili peppers. Chayote can also be added to stir-fry, to retain it’s crisp taste, do not overcook. The list of cooking with chayote can include baking and pickling as well.

All parts of this plant can be eaten, from the leaves to the root. The leaves are also used to make tea.  But I’ve never tried eating anything beside the fruit. I like chayote so much, I just steam them and eat as it.

Chayote must be in season now as they are cheap. These were 33 cents each. When chosing a chayote, it should be firm and smooth. The skin should be green without much blemishes or wrinkles. It can usually be kept in the refrigerator for a week. If you wait too long to eat it, the skin will turn slightly yellow and the fruit lose it’s fresh taste.

These are consider winter-spring crop in Hong Kong.  I like how it hangs abundantly from the vine.  Image source.

If you would like to grow chayote, make sure you have lots of space. The vines can keep on trailing and climbing. Unlike other vegetables, you use the whole fruit when planting it.

Just take a fruit and leave it in a cool and dark cupboard for a few weeks. It will start sprouting and tubers will start to grow out of it. Just plant the whole fruit into the ground.

Last summer my mom tried to grow them, but with no success. It grew, but there weren’t any fruits.  It was probably due to the bad weather and soil.  She has grown them before a long time ago.  I remember harvesting them in loads and couldn’t wait to eat the seeds.   Since it is a perennial plant, once the plant takes hold, it will grow again the following year.