I first discovered this funny looking thing in the wet market while eavesdropping on two aunties discussing how to cook this thing. I asked the seller for the name of this thing and all he could say was 佛手瓜 which means "Buddha's hand melon". So it should look like Buddha's hand? Hmm ... to me it looks like the man-eating plant in the Little Shop of Horrors. That explains why it took me 4 years to finally pick it up. LOLAnyway, if you understand Chinese, you would know that being a 瓜, it belongs to the gourd family. I later found out its English name in the supermarket. A funny name for a funny gourd/melon. It's called Choko or Chayote.
So far, I have not tried stir-frying it but only using it to make soup. It's slightly sweet and very clear. Nice!
Ingredients:
- 1 Choko aka Chayote, skinned, seed removed cut into pieces
- 1/2 Carrot, skinned and cut into pieces
- 250g Pork Ribs
- 1200ml Water
- Salt to taste
How to do it:
- Blanch ribs.
- In a pot, add all ingredients except salt.
- Bring to boil.
- Turn down fire and simmer for another hour or two depending on how soft you want your Choko to be.
- Add salt to taste.
- Serve.
Note:
I include carrots to add sweetness. You can omit that to try the original taste. It's nice without carrots too!
* The funny looking thing - Choko *
* How Choko looks like inside *
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