Chayote

Chayote
Chayote fruit
Chayote fruit cross section
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Cucurbitales
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Genus:	Sechium
Species:	S. edule
Binomial name
Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw.
Synonyms[1]
Chayota edulis Jacq. Sicyos edulis Jacq.

Chayote^[1] (Sechium edule) is an edible plant belonging to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, along with melons, cucumbers and squash. Globally it is known by many names including christophene or christophine,^[1] cho-cho,^[1] cidra (Antioquia, Caldas, Quindio and Risaralda regions of Colombia), sayóte (Filipino languages), guatila (Boyacá and Valle del Cauca regions of Colombia), centinarja (Malta), sousou or chou-chou (chow-chow) (Mauritian Creole), chuchu (Brazil), pimpinela (Madeira), pipinola (Hawaii), tayota (Dominican Republic), mirliton (Haitian Creole), pear squash, vegetable pear,^[1] chouchoute, choko, güisquil (Guatemala, El Salvador^[2]), pataste (Honduras), piskot or sikot (Meghalaya), is-kus (Nagaland), dashkush (Manipur), iskut (Mizoram), is-Kush (Nepal) ^[3] su su (Vietnam). Its tuberous and edible root is called chinchayote or chayotextle in Mexico and ichintal in Guatemala.

Chayote is originally native to Mesoamerica. It has been introduced as a crop worldwide. The main growing regions are Brazil, Costa Rica, Veracruz, Mexico and Abkhazia. Costa Rican chayotes are predominantly exported to the European Union, whereas Veracruz mainly exports its chayotes to the United States.

The word chayote is a Spanish derivative of the Nahuatl word chayohtli (pronounced [t͡ʃaˈjoʔt͡ɬi]). Chayote was one of the many foods introduced to Europe by early explorers, who brought back a wide assortment of botanical samples. The Age of Conquest also spread the plant south from Mexico, ultimately causing it to be integrated into the cuisine of many other Latin American nations.

The chayote fruit is used in mostly cooked forms. When cooked, chayote is usually handled like summer squash, it is generally lightly cooked to retain the crispy consistency. Though rare and often regarded as especially unpalatable and tough in texture, raw chayote may be added to salads or salsas, most often marinated with lemon or lime juice. Whether raw or cooked, chayote is a good source of vitamin C.

Although most people are familiar only with the fruit as being edible, the root, stem, seeds and leaves are edible as well. The tubers of the plant are eaten like potatoes and other root vegetables, while the shoots and leaves are often consumed in salads and stir fries, especially in Asia. Like other members of the gourd family, such as cucumbers, melons, and squash, chayote has a sprawling habit, and it should only be planted if there is plenty of room in the garden. The roots are also highly susceptible to rot, especially in containers, and the plant in general is finicky to grow. However, in Australia and New Zealand, it is an easily grown yard or garden plant, set on a chicken wire support or strung against a fence.

Taxonomy

The plant was first recorded by modern botanists in P. Browne's 1756 work, the Civil and Natural History of Jamaica.^[4] In 1763, it was classified by Jacquin as Sicyos edulis and by Adanson as Chocho edulis. Swartz included it in 1800 in its current genus Sechium.

Description

Cut chayote showing seed

In the most common variety, the fruit is roughly pear-shaped, somewhat flattened and with coarse wrinkles, ranging from 10 to 20 cm in length. It looks like a green pear, and it has a thin, green skin fused with the green to white flesh, and a single, large, flattened pit. Some varieties have spiny fruits. The flesh has a fairly bland taste, and a texture is described as a cross between a potato and a cucumber. Although generally discarded, the seed has a nutty flavor and may be eaten as part of the fruit.

The chayote vine can be grown on the ground, but as a climbing plant, it will grow onto anything, and can easily rise as high as 12 meters when support is provided. It has heart-shaped leaves, 10–25 cm wide and tendrils on the stem. The plant bears male flowers in clusters and solitary female flowers.^[5] The plant’s fruit is light green and elongated with deep ridges lengthwise.

Culinary and medicinal uses

Ichintal (chayote root)

Phat yot sayongte: Thai for stir-fried chayote shoots

The fruit does not need to be peeled to be cooked or fried in slices. Most people regard it as having a very mild flavor by itself (though some find it unpalatable). It is commonly served with seasonings (e.g. salt, butter and pepper in Australia) or in a dish with other vegetables and/or flavorings. It can also be boiled, stuffed, mashed, baked, fried, or pickled in escabeche sauce. Both fruit and seed are rich in amino acids and vitamin C.^[6] Fresh green fruit are firm and without brown spots or signs of sprouting. Smaller ones are more tender.

The tuberous part of the root is starchy and eaten like a yam (can be fried). It can be used as pig or cattle fodder, as well.

The leaves and fruit have diuretic, cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory properties, and a tea made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of arteriosclerosis and hypertension, and to dissolve kidney stones.^[6]

In Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine, the fruit, known as mirliton (pronounced IPA: [ˈmɜːlɪtɒn])^[7] also spelled mirletons or merletons (plural—the r is often silent, e.g. Cajun me-lay-taw or urban Creole miʁl-uh-tɔ̃ns)^[8] is a popular seasonal dish for the holidays, especially around Thanksgiving, in a variety of recipes.

Chayote is an important part of traditional diets across Mesoamerica, and can be found in a variety of dishes.

Philippines chayote tops

In the Philippines, the plant is known as "sayote" and is grown mostly on Mountainous part of the country such as Benguet and parts of Cordillera Administrative Region.^[9] Chayote is used in many kinds of dishes such as soup, stir-fried vegetables and chop suey.

In Indonesia, chayotes are called labu siam and widely planted for their shoots and fruit. It's generally used in Sundanese food as "lalap" and one of ingredients for Sundanese cuisine called "sayur asem".

In Tamil Nadu, South India, chayote is known as seemai kathrikai (சீமை கத்திரிக்காய்)/ chow-chow (சௌ சௌ)/ bangalore kathrikai (பெங்களூர் கத்திரிக்காய்) in Tamil and widely used in everyday cooking for recipes like "sambar", "kootu", "poriyal", "thuvayal", "chutney" and "mor-kulambu". Chow-Chow is the common name used in the markets.

In China, the chayote is known as the "Buddha's Hand Melon" (Chinese: 佛手瓜; pinyin: fó shǒu guā), and is generally stir-fried.

In Taiwan, chayotes are widely planted for their shoots, known as lóng xü cài (龍鬚菜, literally "dragon-whisker vegetable"). Along with the young leaves, the shoot is a commonly consumed vegetable in the region.

In Thai cuisine, the plant is known as sayongte (Thai: ซายองเต้) or fak maeo (Thai: ฟักแม้ว, literally meaning "Miao melon"). It grows mainly in the mountains of northern Thailand. The young shoots and greens are often eaten stir-fried or in certain soups.

In Brazil (locally called chuchu) and other Latin American countries, it is breaded and fried, or used cooked in salads, soups and soufflés.

In Darjeeling, India and Nepal, the plant and fruit is called ishkus (इस्कुस in Nepali), probably derived from the word squash. Its shoots, fruit and roots are widely used for different varieties of curries.

In the Indian state of West Bengal, it is generally known as Squash (স্কোয়াশ). The whole vegetable is used to make curries, or it is sauteed. It is also cooked with fish, eggs or mutton. It is largely eaten during the summer and rainy season as it contains lots of water and is a good source of vitamin C. The young branches are also considered for making items as saag or can be added into preparing the Shukto. There are two varieties available; dark green and light green. The dark green variety is much more tender than the lighter one, which develops a fibrous texture around its seed if harvested or consumed lately.

In South India, Chayote is popularly referred to as "Bangalore brinjal (Bengaluru vankayya)". Or "seeme badanekai" in Kannada; "brinjal/eggplant/aubergine of the plateau".^[10] It is used in vegetable stews like "sambar" and "palya".

In Réunion, the French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean near Mauritius, chou chou, as it is known, is served in many dishes especially in the highlands. A popular starter of Chou chou au Gratin (baked with a cheese sauce), as a side with a meal and even as a dessert.

In Dominican Republic, they call it Tayota.

Folklore

"Apple pie"

In Australia, where it is called choko, a persistent urban legend is that McDonald's apple pies were made of chayotes, not apples.^[11] This eventually led McDonald's to emphasise the fact that real apples are used in their pies. This legend was based on an earlier belief that tinned pears were often disguised chayotes. A possible explanation for the rumor is that there are a number of recipes in Australia that advise chayotes can be used in part replacement of canned apples to make the fruit go farther in making apple pies. This likely arose because of the economies of "mock" food substitutes during the Depression Era,^[12] shortages of canned fruit in the years following World War II, and the fact apples do not grow in many tropical and subtropical parts of Australia, making them scarce. Chayotes, on the other hand, grow extensively in Australia, with many suburban backyards featuring chayote vines growing along their fence lines.

Another possible reason for the rumor of McDonald's apple pies containing chayotes was that it was thought that apples would degenerate and become soggy and inedible in a McDonald's pie, whereas chayotes are well known to retain their firmness and consistency after cooking, freezing, and reheating. It was thought that the "chunks" of apple in the pie were in fact chunks of chayote, and the sauce and filling were simply a spiced, apple-flavored concoction.

Mummies

Due to its purported cell-regenerative properties, it is believed as a contemporary legend that this fruit caused the mummification of people from the Colombian town of San Bernardo who extensively consumed it. The very well preserved skin and flesh can be seen in the mummies today. The wall street journal reported on this belief in October 2015 - http://www.wsj.com/articles/in-this-small-colombian-town-people-love-their-mummies-1443664421

Gallery

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  Chayote leaf

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  Picking chayote

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  Weighing and preparing chayote shoots

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  Perulero (yellowish-white variety)

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  Sprouting chayote, showing reproductive process of this plant

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  Chayote growing on vines

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  Chayote on vines

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  Chayote Plantation

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  Chayote with beef (Philippines).

See also

• Araujia sericifera, a toxic weed that is often described as "choko-like".
• List of vegetables

References

Sources

• Rafael Lira Saade. 1996. Chayote Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw. Promoting the conservation and use of underutilized and neglected crops. 8. Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben/International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Italy. ISBN 92-9043-298-5 available in pdf format

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chayote.

• Adopt a Mirliton Nonprofit Program
• Chayote Information Purdue University Horticulture
• Growing Chayote Mother Earth News
• Mirlitons.org Nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the conservation and innovative uses of Louisiana heirloom mirlitons - includes free growing guides and recipes.