With a neutral flavor, soft texture and quick preparation, chayote should be on your list of favorite foods.
And, contrary to what many people think, this fruit does have many nutrients, but to conserve them it is important to know how to cook chayote correctly.
Want to learn? So stay here in this post and follow all the tips with us.
Chayote Benefits
Despite the mild and discreet taste, chayote has a lot to offer in terms of nutrition.
This fruit, seen (wrongly) by many as the ugly duckling in the vegetable world, is rich in fiber, water and low in calories.
Do you know what that means? It helps you lose weight. In what way? The fibers and water present in the fruit cause a feeling of fullness, preventing you from eating more than you should.
Therefore, it is always recommended to put a portion of chayote on the plate to decrease caloric intake and at the same time increase the nutritional value of the meal.
But that is not all that chayote has to offer. The fruit is still rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant extremely necessary for cell renewal and the fight against free radicals, in addition to preventing premature aging and being an ally in the prevention of various types of cancer.
Chayote is still a source of important minerals for maintaining health, among which we can highlight potassium, important for regulating blood pressure, calcium and phosphorus, allies of bones, teeth and nails, as well as zinc, essential for the immune system.
See how much good? And you there with prejudice with the chayote.
How to choose chayote
The chayote to be at the right point of consumption must have a smooth skin, with no withered or wrinkled appearance, so you can guarantee that it has not lost water.
It is also important that the chayote bark is well preserved, without cracks, dents or dark parts.
The chayote harvest season is between August and November. So, prefer to consume it during this period to guarantee a fresh, juicy and good price fruit.
And speaking of price, know that you don’t even have to worry about buying chayote. That’s because the fruit can easily be grown at home in a small yard or even in a large pot.
How to prepare chayote
Chayote is a super versatile food thanks to its mild flavor. For this very reason it is indicated for several dishes, since it does not interfere in the final flavor of the preparation.
The most popular way to consume chayote is as a salad. But he is also welcome to enrich meat and fish stews and stews. You can also try the sautéed fruit with garlic, onion and herbs of your choice.
Another practical and tasty way to consume chayote is in purees or souffles.
How to cook chayote
1. In boiling water
Start the chayote cooking process by washing all the fruits thoroughly. Then peel, cut in half and remove the pulp from the inside. This pulp tends to be fibrous and a little hard, not very pleasant on the palate.
Then, bring water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Cut the chayote into cubes or the size of your choice. Remembering that the bigger the cut, the longer cooking time.
Put everything in the pan. When the boiling process starts, turn the heat down and count for about 15 minutes. Stick the chayote with a fork and see if it is already soft.
Turn off the heat and pour the contents of the pan into a large sieve or colander to make the chayote dry.
Then just continue with your preferred method of preparation.
2. In steam
Steam cooking is the most suitable way of preparing vegetable foods, since the loss of nutrients is much less when compared to cooking in water, for example.
To steam chayote the first step is to wash, peel, remove the pulp and make the cut as you prefer.
Then place the cut pieces of chayote in the basket of the steamer and cover.
The average cooking time in this process is 15 to 20 minutes.
3. In the pressure cooker
In those days where the rush is in charge, the pressure cooker is your greatest friend. She cooks food quickly, including chayote.
Start by washing, peeling and removing the pulp. Cut the chayote as you prefer and place everything inside the pan. Cover with water and add a teaspoon of salt.
Close the pressure cooker tightly and put it on fire. When you hear the hissing of the pan, count 5 minutes and hang up.
4. In the microwave
Yes, it is possible to cook chayote in the microwave. To do this, start in the usual way: washing, peeling and cutting the chayote. Then place the pieces in a microwave-safe container. There is no need to add water.
Take the container to the appliance at high power for about 4 to 6 minutes, pausing cooking half the time to turn the chayote into position.
At the end, check if the pieces are already soft.
5. In the oven
Have you ever thought about making chayote in the oven? Well then you should. This version gives an extra flavor to the food, in addition to that characteristic crispness of baked foods.
To do this, wash, peel and cut the chayote into cubes of medium size. Then, drizzle a pan with olive oil and distribute the chayote over it.
Season with salt, herbs and sprinkle some breadcrumbs to create a crunchy crust around the chayote.
Bake at 180º for 10 to 15 minutes. Check the spot after this time and return to the oven if necessary, but remember to turn the pieces to bake them completely.
6. Sauté
Last but not least, you can choose to make sautéed chayote. Here, the process is super simple and practical.
In a deep frying pan add olive oil with chopped garlic. Take it to the fire and when the garlic starts to turn golden brown, pour the washed, peeled and chopped chayote.
Let it sauté for a few moments. Then cover with a little water and season with salt and herbs.
Check the spot after about 8 minutes of cooking. Turn off and serve.
So which of these chayote options will be on your plate today?
