Chayote, also known as mirliton, güisquil, pimpinela and choko, is an edible plant belonging to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. This fruit was first cultivated in the Mesoamericas between southern Mexico and Honduras, with the most genetic diversity available in both Mexico and Guatemala.

What is chocho called in the eastern Caribbean?

In Brazil (locally called chuchu) and other Latin American countries, it is breaded and fried, or used cooked in salads, soups, stews and soufflés. In Eastern Caribbean English the fruit, used as a vegetable, is known as christophene. In Jamaica and other places in the western Caribbean it is known as chocho.

What do Chokos taste like?

Chokos have a very mild flavour, often compared to marrow, so they are usually cooked with other stronger tasting foods.

What is chocho called in Barbados?

Christophine in Barbados, but popularly known as chocho in Jamaica, is a type of squash that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. Its scientific name is Sechium edule.

What is Cho Cho in Trinidad?

PROBABLY the most widely-used vegetable in the Caribbean and now being recognised on a more global culinary landscape, christophene, also called cho-cho or choyote, is a rough-skinned, pear-shaped vegetable. When sliced, it's a very pale-green, watery interior, with a soft white edible seed.

How to Cook Chocho (Chayote)

What is Jamaican Chocho?

Popularly known as chocho in Jamaica, the Chayote (Sechium edule) is a type of squash that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. It was originally grown in Central Mexico and other parts of Latin America but is now grown all over the world.

What is Chocho called in Trinidad?

Christophene–probably the most widely used vegetable in the Caribbean, each country with their favourite recipe for it–also called Cho-Cho or Chayote–is a rough skinned, pear shaped vegetable, upon slicing open you'll find a very pale green, and watery interior, with a soft white seed, almost squash like in appearance, ...

Is choko a fruit?

The most common choko fruits are a roughly blunted triangular pear shape with a smooth green skin or with soft prickles over the fruit. However, there are some smooth-skinned, ribbed green fruiting cultivars growing in home gardens as well as cultivars bearing large, white prickly or smooth-skinned fruit.

What is Guisquil in English?

Spanish. English. güisquil. chayote; chayote squash; choko; christophine; pear squash; pipinola; vegetable pear.

Can you juice chayote?

Juice made from fruits of chayote is extremely high in vitamin C and antioxidants and can have an appealing taste profile if blended with stevia and pineapple juice, a study suggests. But in juice form, the researchers said chayote had nutraceutical potential. ...

Is a choko a fruit or vegetable?

A choko is the fruit of a vine with the scientific name Sechium edule, that is a perennial and grows vigorously. 'Chokos' are also known by eighteen other names, including 'cho-cho', 'pear squash', 'mirliton', 'chayote', 'vegetable pear' and 'christophine'.

How do you know when a choko is ripe?

To choose a ripe chayote, look for one that's firm to the touch, between light and dark green in color, and without any brown soft spots (varying colors are fine as long as the fruit is firm).

Is choko skin poisonous?

'The latex sap can cause skin and eye irritation in people. In some cases it can cause breathing difficulties. The leaves and seeds are poisonous. ... The choko is firm and light green in colour, however the moth vine is soft and furry with many seeds.

Is chayote good for diabetes?

Chayote may also improve blood sugar control by affecting insulin. Insulin resistance is a condition that occurs when your cells become less sensitive to insulin — a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. This leads to progressively higher blood sugar levels and can eventually result in diabetes.

Can chayote be eaten raw?

Chayote squash (Sechium edule) is technically a fruit but is eaten like a vegetable. All parts of the gourd are edible, including the seeds, skin, and flowers. The chayote's pale green flesh is crisp when raw and softens when cooked.

What is chayote leaf?

Chayote leaves are small to medium in size and thin, broad, and heart-shaped, approximately 10-25 centimeters wide. The vibrant green leaves have a sandpaper-like texture and have 3-5 pointed lobes with small thin tendrils attached near or at the base of the stem.

Where is chayote from?

Chayotes are native to Mesoamerica, likely originating in Mexico. They were cultivated by the Aztecs, but became popular across the globe after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 16th century, according to “The Oxford Companion to Food“.

What are Chokos good for?

Healthy Snapshot

Heart matter: Choko is rich in folate, magnesium and potassium. Folate decreases the homocysteine levels in the blood and thereby reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Magnesium prevents blood clots from forming and maintains a normal heartbeat, increases good cholesterol levels.

How do you grow a Choko?

1. When it has sprouted to about 7 cm, bring it outside after the last frosts and find a sunny location.
2. Dig a hole where the choko is to be planted.
3. Add some organic fertilizer or manure to the soil.
4. Place the choko in the soil with the sprout sticking above the soil.

What is Cho Cho Chinese food?

Beef Cho-Cho. Thinly sliced beef flank. ... Thinly sliced beef flank.

Can we eat Choko raw?

Peel large chokos.

Small chokos, about the size of an egg, can be eaten raw. They can also be tossed straight into salads, stews, and soups.

How long does a choko vine last?

Flowers forming on the vine in late March. Fruit will soon form and the plant will keep producing for about 6 months till the weather cools. Keep harvesting the fruit as it matures to keep the vine vigorous and to promote more flowering and fruiting.

Can you freeze Choko?

To preserve chokos, cut them in half, remove the seeds (so nice roasted in a frying pan) and steam cook them until easy to peel. Cut into cubes, then freeze or preserve in jars.

How long do Choko vines take to fruit?

After 120 to 150 days, or by the late summer and early autumn, the vines will start to flower and produce fruit.