Making The Most Of The Chayote In Mexican Food

Chayote, otherwise known as the choko, the pear squash, and the chuchu, is that odd looking green veggie found at your local produce department. It is known for its large creases along its pear-shaped diameter, a slight greenish color, and wrinkly skin. You can eat them cooked or raw; make it part of a salad or add it to a main dish. Its flavor is mild and accents the flavor of the foods you mix it in with. Its history can be traced back to the ancient Aztecs and Mayans.

The skin is thin, no need for peeling, which means it can be easily bitten into. Your options for cooking are numerous; it can be baked, fried, stuffed, boiled, and even pickled. The seeds have a nutty taste. In Mexico, the tubers from the chayote plant are enjoyed a lot like potatoes, and the leaves can be a refreshing part of a salad or used dried in tea as medicine. It is a gourd that is part of the squash and cucumber family.

When selecting one for your next meal, be sure to choose a firm variety from the market. Look for specimens that have fewer wrinkles, they will wrinkle with age. You can refrigerate them for many days; but use them as quickly as possible for the best flavor. Our markets here in the USA get them from Mexico, grown near Veracruz.

It soup. It keeps its crispness during cooking, rather like a water chestnut. It has a slightly fruity flavor and a sweet, starchy quality.

They come in three different varieties in its native land of Mexico. You can find them as either dark green with spines, pear-shaped light green or petite cream colored fruit. How you use chayote in recipes all depends on their age; the early ones maybe eaten the same as an apple or it can be grated and added to a salad greens. Serve it fresh on a plate in slices as a nice snack.

When the chayote is ripe but not sprouting, it is best when baked or boiled. Slice it and add to souffls, gratins, and soups. The sprouts can also be added to salads or vegetable dishes. They are fresh in the summer and fall. You can enjoy this food without worrying about your diet. They are very low in calories and are rich in vitamin C and amino acids.

When you are making Mexican food, do not be reluctant to try different foods like chayotes. You might find that something new quickly becomes a favorite of yours. Take time to try new flavors and ingredients and see if it is something, you and your family will love. That is where the fun in exploring new delicacies comes from.

While they began in Mexico, they are now a popular ingredient throughout South America, the West Indies and nearby regions. In Argentina, they are used to make jam. The chayote even has its own festival in the Seychelles islands.

Mexican food history begins long before anyone else knew anything about the indigenous groups living in Mexico. They took the local foods and made the most from them. Drinks made from chocolate and vanilla were mixed and sweetened with honey.

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