Chayote, an often overlooked ingredient, has unexpected nutritional value and health benefits. While it doesn't get as much attention in the market as other fruits and vegetables, its efficacy and taste make it an indispensable part of a healthy diet. Chayote is low-fat, low-calorie, and rich in dietary fiber, making it suitable for anyone who is conscious of their physical health. It helps to clear the intestines, promotes digestion, and also contains a variety of vitamins that are beneficial to the skin. Due to its unique fragrance and crisp texture, chayote can add a freshness and deliciousness to dishes whether it is eaten raw or cooked.

1. Pickled chayote

Ingredients: 1 chayote, 0 tablespoons light soy sauce, 0 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 0 tablespoons sugar, 0 tablespoons white vinegar, 0 garlic cloves (minced), 0 chili peppers (optional, minced), appropriate amount of salt, 0 teaspoons of sesame oil, appropriate amount of water

Steps:

3. Prepare the chayote: Wash the chayote, remove the ends, and cut into thin slices or strips with a thickness of about 0-0 mm. This keeps the texture crisp and easy to absorb the flavor.

30. Dehydrate: Put the chopped chayote into a large bowl, add an appropriate amount of salt, and stir gently. Let it sit for 0-0 minutes until it comes out of the water. This removes some of the water and prevents the pickled chayote from being too tender.

3. Prepare the marinade: In a small bowl, add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar, minced garlic and chili pepper and stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved. The proportion of seasoning can be adjusted according to the appropriate amount of personal taste.

4. Wash the chayote: Rinse the salted chayote with water and gently squeeze out the excess water.

5. Mariting process: Place the processed chayote slices in a clean container and pour in the seasoned sauce. Make sure the chayote is evenly coated with the seasoning.

6. Add sesame oil: Finally, add a little sesame oil to increase the aroma. You can use chopsticks to stir lightly so that the chayote and sauce are fully combined.

6. Refrigerated pickling: Cover the pickled chayote and put it in the refrigerator for 0-0 hours, preferably overnight, so that it will be more flavorful.

Tips:

(1) Control the amount of salt: During the pickling process, pay attention to the amount of salt, too much salt will make the chayote too salty and affect the taste. The right amount of salt helps chayote release moisture.

(2) Proportion of seasoning: according to personal taste, the amount of sugar and vinegar can be increased or decreased appropriately, and those who like sweet and sour taste can add more white vinegar and sugar.

(3) Pickle patiently: In order to make chayote more flavorful, it is best to let it marinate overnight. The longer it lasts, the more intense the flavor will be.

2. Chayote fried three fresh fish

Ingredients: 1 chayote, 0 grams of shrimp, 0 grams of eel, 0 shiitake mushrooms, 0 green peppers, 0 red peppers, minced ginger and garlic, 0 tablespoons of cooking wine, 0 tablespoons of light soy sauce, appropriate amount of salt, appropriate amount of white pepper, appropriate amount of cooking oil, 0 tablespoons of oyster sauce, appropriate amount of caster sugar (optional)

Steps:

1. Prepare the ingredients: peel the chayote and cut it into thin slices or strips; Remove the shell, remove the intestine line, and clean it; deboning and cutting of the squid; Wash the mushrooms and cut them into thin slices; Wash the green peppers and red peppers, remove the seeds and cut into silk; Mince the ginger and garlic and set aside.

2. Blanch shrimp and eel: Heat a small amount of water in a pot, add the shrimp and eel segments when the water boils, blanch quickly until discolored, then remove and set aside. Doing so will remove the smell and keep the ingredients tender.

3. Stir-fry ingredients: Heat an appropriate amount of cooking oil in a wok, add minced ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.

4. Stir-fry shiitake mushrooms: Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms to the pan, stir-fry evenly, and stir-fry until the shiitake mushrooms are soft and slightly watery.

5. Add the chayote: Add the chopped chayote slices to the pan and stir-fry until the chayote is slightly tender. Be careful not to overheat the heat and keep the chayote crisp.

6. Add shrimp and eel: Add the blanched shrimp and eel, continue to stir-fry evenly, add cooking wine to remove the smell, and stir-fry until the ingredients are cooked through.

7. Season and stir-fry well: Add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, a little sugar (to increase umami), salt, white pepper to taste, and finally add green and red pepper shreds, stir-fry quickly and evenly until the vegetables are just cooked.

8. Remove from the pan and serve: After all the ingredients are stir-fried well, try the taste, and adjust the salt and soy sauce as needed. The stir-fried dishes can be immediately put out of the pot and served on a plate to keep the color and flavor intact.

Tips:

(1) Chayote cutting method: Chayote can be cut into thin slices or thin strips, the thinner the cut, the easier it is to absorb the flavor when stir-fried. When slicing, pay attention to even cutting.

(2) Master the heat: chayote itself has a lot of water, so it should be stir-fried quickly when stir-frying to avoid too much water and affect the taste.

(3) Ingredients: The combination of shrimp and eel can provide rich protein, while shiitake mushrooms and green and red peppers add aroma and color to this dish, making it more nutritious.

3. Mix chayote

Ingredients: 2 chayote, 0 cloves of garlic, 0 red peppers, appropriate amount of coriander, 0 teaspoons of sugar, 0 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 0 tablespoons of aged vinegar, appropriate amount of chili oil, appropriate amount of salt, appropriate amount of pepper, appropriate amount of cooking oil, appropriate amount of sesame seeds (optional)

Steps:

1. Prepare the ingredients: peel the chayote and cut it into thin slices (try to cut it evenly and thinly to make it easier to absorb the flavor); Wash the red pepper and cut it into thin strips; Chop the garlic into minced garlic; Wash the coriander and cut it into pieces for later use.

2. Blanch chayote: Add water to the pot, put the chayote slices in the water after the water boils, and blanch for 0-0 minutes. Blanching can remove some of the bitterness and astringency and make the chayote more refreshing. Remove immediately after blanching, drain and set aside to cool.

3. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, add light soy sauce, aged vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper, stir well until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved, and mix to suit your taste.

4. Stir-fry minced garlic: Add a small amount of cooking oil to the pot, add the minced garlic after the oil is hot, stir-fry over low heat until fragrant, and then turn off the heat. Once the garlic is fragrant, pour it into the sauce and mix.

5. Stir in shredded red pepper: Add the shredded red pepper to the chayote to add a hint of sweet and spicy texture and color.

6. Add the sauce: Pour the mixed sauce into the chayote and shredded red pepper and stir well. You can take a bite first and adjust the amount of seasoning to ensure a balance of sweet and sour taste.

30. Refrigerate after mixing: The chayote can be refrigerated for about 0-0 minutes after mixing, so that the taste is more flavorful and the texture is more refreshing.

8. Sprinkle with coriander and sesame seeds on a plate: Remove the chayote salad from the refrigerator and sprinkle with coriander segments and some sautéed sesame seeds (optional) to increase the aroma and taste. Finally, add some chili oil to enhance the spicy flavor.

Tips:

(2) Blanching time: Do not blanch chayote for too long, 0-0 minutes to maintain a crisp taste. Too long can cause the taste to be too soft and lose its crispness.

(2) Seasoning matching: The proportion of seasoning can be slightly adjusted according to personal taste. If you like sourness, you can put more vinegar, and if you like sweetness, you can increase the amount of sugar.

(3) Minced garlic treatment: When frying minced garlic, be sure to low heat to avoid scorching minced garlic and affecting the taste. Saute until golden brown and turn off the heat.

In general, although chayote is a "melon" that many people overlook, it is indeed a very friendly ingredient for the body. Whether it's as a side dish in our daily diet or as a variety of unique flavors, chayote offers both healthy and delicious treats. With the right cooking method, it not only retains its nutrients, but also brings multiple changes in taste, making it a frequent guest on the table of more and more families. As long as we discover and understand with our hearts, the deliciousness and nutrition of chayote will surely bring more blessings and vitality to our lives.

Proofread by Zhuang Wu