Mexican pepper

Chayote, or as it is popularly called, Mexican pepper, belongs to numerous varieties of perennial plants of the pumpkin family, which is very rich in rare valuable species. Chayote is a monoecious plant with a climbing stem. The shoots of this plant are slightly drooping (reach an average length of 20 cm) and cling to the support with the help of tendrils; the grooves are longitudinal.

The leaves of the plant are quite large (up to 25 cm in length), with a heart-shaped base, covered with harsh hairs and divided into 3-7 lobes. Leaf petioles vary from 3 to 25 cm.

The flowers of the plant are unisexual, usually greenish or pale cream in color, the diameter of the corolla is on average 1-1.5 cm.

The fruits of the plant are pear-shaped or round in shape with an average length of 10-20 cm; the weight of one berry can reach 1 kilogram. The peel of the fruit is strong, but at the same time quite thin and shiny; longitudinal grooves or small growths may be observed. The color of the fruit can be either whitish or light yellow or green. The pulp of the plant is rich in starch, tastes sweet and very juicy. Also, in the middle of the fruit there is a large flat-oval seed (2-5 cm in length).

Mexican pepper is a very multifunctional plant, which is used, as they say, in waste-free production, since all parts of the chayote are considered edible.

The leaves of the plant are usually stewed, but the fruit itself, in particular in an unripe state, is part of an extensive list of dishes; it is used both boiled, baked, stuffed, and stewed. You can also add it raw to various salads. Chayote seeds are roasted and taste like nuts. The pulp of Mexican peppers is used in the manufacture of baked goods.