Chilacayote Squash / Gourd (3.25″ pot)

Description

Native to Central Mexico – also called Fig Leaf Gourd

Common in Oaxacan cuisine. Similar in shape to a watermelon, with an average diameter of twenty centimeters and has a rough, dark brown stem. The smooth and firm rind ranges in color from light green to dark green and is mottled with cream-colored spots and occasional streaks running the length of the fruit.

Young, small Chilacayote squash is entirely edible with the skin, flesh, and seeds being thin and tender. When the squash matures, the rind becomes very hard and inedible. The flesh is a bright white and has a spongy, moist texture that encases many flat, black to dark brown seeds. Each Chilacayote squash has a varied number of seeds, but some fruits can hold up to five hundred individual seeds. Mature squash are similar in texture to spaghetti squash, but more nutty in flavor.

When cooked, Chilacayote squash is mild, very neutral in taste, similar to zucchini or chayote (mirliton) and readily absorbs flavors of other ingredients.

This is a tropical perennial squash – grows all year and bears fruit in late winter/spring. You do need a greenhouse for this onde!

Nutritional Value – Chilacayote squash contains a unique vitamin known as vitamin B8, or D-chiro inositol and this nutrient is used as a natural antihyperglycaemic, or insulin mediator, for diabetics. The seeds are also high in protein.

It can be used immature, when the rind is still soft and easier to work with and can be cooked like zucchini, sliced and sautéed or stuffed after boiling.

When mature, the rind of the Chilacayote squash is very hard and must be cut off with a sharp knife. The mature Chilacayote is most often used to make a popular Central American confection called dulce de chilacayote.

The squash is known for its excellent storage capabilities. Mature Chilacayote squash can be stored in a cool, dry environment for several years, hence its nickname Seven Year melon, and even after years of storage, the flesh will remain fresh and may even grow sweeter. The more tender, young Chilacayotes can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.