Monday, May 18, 2009

Is Choko a vegetable or a fruit?


Have you ever left standing in front of a vegetable or fruit and wondering what is it? And the next probable question you will be asking yourself is “How do I eat it?”

Last week, at the local fruit and vegetables shop and standing next to me was a young couple pondering in front of a huge pile of chokos.They took a good look at these slightly flatten triangular pear-shaped fruits,before picking up a fruit each, in their hands for a closer inspection. At the same time, looking at the displayed name and price, she said aloud. “Choko, 99cents a kilo… wah so cheap but don’t know how to cook leh?” I could not help but asked “ Are you guys from Singapore or Malaysia?” Looking surprised, she answered. “Ya, Singapore and how do you know?” The answer was simple; we can’t run away with our accent. It is the trademark and a telltale sign of all Singaporeans worldwide. Before long, we were talking like long lost relatives in Singlish, oblivious to the pile of choko and other shoppers in the shop. Sorry, what was the question again?

Is choko a fruit or a vegetable?

Choko is everything.The root, young stems, seeds, and leaves are all edible. Choko is a versatile, rampant and prolific plant. During my stay in Papua New Guinea, I have seen the villagers used the tuberous root not only for their own consumption but also used the starchy roots as a fodder for the pigs. In fact, nothing is wasted. The stems or vines have also been ingeniously used by the villagers in the manufacture of baskets and ropes.

In other Asian countries choko fruits are known as 佛手瓜 fut sao gwa (lit. Buddha hand melon), 合掌瓜 hup jeung gwa (lit. closed palm melon), and chokos are are widely planted for their shoots and tendrils, 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 those regions.

How to grow Choko:

Choko can be easily propagated by sprouting a fruit indoors in late winter and early spring in cooler areas, or all year round in tropical areas. It is a vigorous vine which is easy to grow and it is perennial as it will grow for years in mild, frost-free climates. Choko isn’t fussy about conditions but prefers rich, well-drained organic soils. Plant with the sprouting shoot just above the soil level. Because the choko plant is a climber, it can easily be grown on fences, trellises or frames allowing the fruit to hang down for easy harvesting. Feed the plant every six weeks with a complete fertilizer. It has few pests but needs protection from hot winds or frost. The choko plant bears fruit in autumn and winter. Pick fruits young when it is tender and has a delicate flavor.

Warning:

One Choko vine will easily cover and overrun the whole backyard, garage, shed, or even the house! It can become a rampant weed under the right conditions. So be warned. To be continued...

13 comments:

  1. Wah.. so you've recruited new members to the Uncle Phil's gang? ;)

    I've seen this fruit before, but never know what it is. Now I know!

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  2. Hi HW,
    Paiseh leh, You are making me like a "lau tah"
    and the Uncle Phil Club like a asian triad. Haha. Stay tuned for the choko recipes and other uses.

    Cheers.

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  3. hahaha... uncle phil club now has gone offline!

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  4. Uhoo Uncle Phil

    Choko is call Shooshoo (that how it is pronounced) in Mauritius & my Mauritius Friend have taught me how to use Choko to substitute Potatoes in Chicken Curry or any curry. Now, it would be good for Lemak with Lontong...

    Notti_Paw

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  5. Hi Notti Paw,
    Thanks for visiting and sharing your recipe with us. Is choko available back home?

    Cheers.

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  6. Hi Uncle Phil
    Yes, Choko is available Back Home; at all supermarkets, Local Wet markets & Mamah shop. We called that Choyote in SG. Some Indian used it in the cooking of the gravy for Roti Prata. It is a good substitute for Potatoes which is high in Starch content ^__^.

    And I found the correct word for shooshoo in Mauritius, it is ChouChou. You can also try stir fried shredded Choko with shredded Bacon (VERY good).

    Have a good time.

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  7. Hello!

    Can you grow chayote successfully in Australia? I was looking this up to see if it will survive the British weather. Also, I've read that you have to grow two for successful pollination, but I'm sure other squashes don't need this. Do you grow this?

    Thanks! :)

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  8. Hi Sky,
    Thanks for visiting my blog. We find choko(chayote) easy to grow in Sydney. Although choko is a warm season crop and grow best in tropical and subtropical it can also be grown in temperate zone unless it has short growing season and winter frost. Because it has male and female flowers on the same vine, one vine is sufficient for producing fruits. I usually plant two to three and allow the healthiest plant to grow on. I usually take off the first few summer flowers and only allow the late summer and early autumn flowers to continue to grow into fruits. The main flowering season starts in early autumn and appears in profusion at the end of the long vines. It is worth a try. Happy gardening.

    Cheers,
    Phil

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  9. Oh, we get only frost free here from around May to October... My gran used to grow this in HK, so I thought I would give it a try. Might still do, next year. Thanks! :)

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  10. About the Choko or chayote, I had tried frying with salt without any meat. It tasted very sweet and crunchy. You all might want to give it a try. Can use choko to make soup too, it tasted very nice especially during summer time.

    JK

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  11. Hi JK,
    Thanks for the tips. Choko is a very versatile vegetable. We add it to our stew as well.
    Cheers,
    Phil

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  12. I live in the North Island of New Zealand, in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty. I have a Choko vine that dies off each year and comes back each spring. It is very prolific. My usual way of cooking them is in the micro wave, in a dish that allows any liquid to drain to the bottom. While still hot I grate nutmeg and cheese on them. I brush a fillet of fish with rice oil and a dusting of garlic salt and cook it in the microwave. The delicate flavour of the Choko complements the fish very well. Bonne appetite.
    Pip.

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  13. Hi Pip,
    Thanks for sharing your recipe. We will try it soon.
    Cheers,
    Phil

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