Winter melon (Benincasa hispida, 冬瓜, dong gua) is also known as white gourd and winter gourd. The melon is shaped like a long squash and can grow as large as 80 centimeters (30 inches) in length. It has a chalky dark green (some time pistachio green) colored skin with a waxy feel. It has a thick white flesh that is water-rich and has a texture similar to that of the white part of a watermelon.
Mature winter melon is commonly used in Chinese cooking. The white flesh of the winter melon has a mild, refreshing, and grassy flavor, reminiscent of cucumber. It’s rarely consumed raw. The white flesh becomes soft and transparent once cooked.
Use
Winter melon can be cooked in stews, soups, and stir fried and braised dishes. Because winter melon itself tastes very plain and its texture absorbs flavor very well, it is often cooked with pork, chicken and other strongly flavored ingredients to imbue in the melon a richer flavor. One of the most famous Chinese dishes is winter melon soup that is cooked with chicken or pork broth.
Prepare
The winter melon needs to be skinned, seeded, and chopped before cooking.
To prepare winter melon
- Slice the skin off with a knife and discard it
- Separate the melon into 4 equal parts, and then further into 8 parts
- Cut off the very soft part with the seeds and discard it (it has a bad mouthfeel after cooked)
- Slice or cube each part of the melon into evenly sized pieces
Store
Unwashed whole winter melon can be stored in a cool, dark, dry place for up to 5 months. Once sliced, you should always wrap it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge, where it will last up to 1 week.
Buy
You can find winter melon at Chinese supermarkets. Due to its huge size, you’re more likely to find a portion of a melon than a whole melon.
Jeanie chu
When storing a unwashed winter melon, should it be keep in a box for air circulation. In a dry, cool, area during the weather month. Can it go longer than 5 months?
Maggie Zhu
I’ve never stored a whole winter melon but I’ve done some research and it says that you can store an unwashed melon for 1 to 2 months if stored properly.
Yes a dry cool place is good. I’ve read that you shouldn’t store it at a temperature that is lower than 50 F (10 C), which might damage it.
Maggie Zhu
Did a little more reading after I posted the first response. Some people say you can store it up to a year. I think the best bet is to store it properly and observe how it goes. I think you might be able to store it for longer but you should also eat it when you wish, before it goes bad. I don’t have a great answer at the moment because I’ve never stored the full melon before.