CHAYOTES and PLANTAINS (Cooking Bananas)

CHAYOTE (Sechium edule)
Cho-Cho/Christophene/Custard Marrow/Guisquil (wis-kil)

Chayotes and plantains are now available in the produce sections of many supermarkets and specialty fruit stores. If you are unfamiliar with these tropical treasures, I am happy to present them to you. If they are old favorites, here are some background information and new recipes.

There are several varieties of this pear-shaped vegetable. The chayote is native to Mexico but is now also cultivated in most tropical regions.
It is a member of the squash family and contains trailing vines similar to those of the cucumber. The vine produces fruit in a similar fashion on a single long stem. All varieties share a common size and shape, but the skin color ranges from white to bright green with deep ribs. Some chayotes are covered with sharp spikes or thorns. The more common pale green varieties have soft prickles, which are usually removed before they shipped to stores.
The translucent flesh is white to light-green with a flat, cream-colored edible seed.

Due to the high water content and low calorie count, the chayote makes an excellent food for dieters and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Chayotes can be boiled and stuffed with meat or cheese. Cut into small strips, it is especially well suited for stir-frying as it will retain a crisp texture. Steamed and buttered, chayotes also make an excellent side dish. When overcooked they become mushy.

Early British colonists in the Caribbean, longing for a traditional dessert, used chayotes to make a mock apple pie. If left uncooked for an extended period, the chayote will begin to germinate and a sprout will appear.

PLANTAINS/PLÁTANO/BANANE/COOKING BANANA (musa)

Plantains are the largest members of the banana family. They were brought to the Americas from their native India, and have become a staple food in many tropical countries. The large plant, flower and the fruit production are almost identical to that of the banana. The plantain is larger in size but similar in appearance and also becomes golden yellow with black spots when fully ripe.

Green and ripe plantains are used in many dishes. However, unlike the banana, yellow ripe plantains have a light pink flesh and contain more starch and less sugar. They must be cooked and should never be eaten raw, hence the name “cooking banana”. Fried ripe plantains make a delicious accompaniment to almost any main dish.