Mystery veg from Nepal (forum)

Rob starts with ...
I recently went to Nepal and could not find out the name of these climbing veggies. They are both used like potato. Any clues?

www.inhernest.blogspot.com
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 5th December 2010 6:04pm

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Wayne says...
Pic 2 looks so much like a choco Rob but pic 1 I don't know

Time: 5th December 2010 7:46pm

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Julie says...
Wayne, I agree.

Time: 5th December 2010 8:48pm

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Hayden says...
Mashed or boiled choco. Yummmm

Time: 6th December 2010 10:29pm

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Rob says...
Thanks guys, will look into chocos. They were EVERYWHERE over there. As well as stray cucumbers growing up the power lines.
Cheers

www.inhernest.blogspot.com

Time: 11th December 2010 9:11pm

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Phil@Tyalgum says...
They don't look as though they have a leaf like a choko in the photos however. Northern India is the original homeland of cucumbers - I wonder if it is a variant of some kind.

Time: 11th December 2010 10:11pm

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Jantina says...
Phil, if you look behind the brown stem in the lower right of the picture you can see what looks like a choko leaf, I think perhaps it's a choko vine growing through another tree.

Time: 11th December 2010 11:32pm

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Charles cant spell says...
Is that first pick a Pedata ?

Cyclanthera pedata var edulis

http://www.rain-tree.com/caigua.htm



Time: 14th December 2010 3:34pm

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Original Post was last edited: 14th December 2010 3:36pm

About the Author Charlesstillcantspell1
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Rob says...
I think it is Charles (can't spell) that is exactly what it looked like. Buckets and buckets of them!
There also was a vine growing through another tree so i think the other one is a choko. How good are you guys!
Next question....do they taste any good?

Time: 14th December 2010 6:31pm

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Charles cant spell says...
Choko's have no taste, that is an advantage and disadvantage. Both these plants are a food crop staple. You can eat them everyday and just add them as filler. I.e. Choko is used in apple jam as its cheaper adn cheeps its body better :) they just add the 20% apple to get teh flavour. I eat chokos young and tender steamed and then seasoned with garlic butter. Think of a button squash and its not that diffrent, but much easier to grow.

I have seeds for the Pedata and have never eaten one so can say on that. I suspect its just a easy grown prolific mini cucumber. Think a baby leb cuc.

The other advantage of both of these is the fact that the entire vine is edible, i.e. leaves n tips as green stir fry etc. And I am pretty sure the Pedata has a few good medicinal qualities.

Time: 14th December 2010 6:42pm

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MaryT says...
Choko is nice peeled, sliced thin and stir fried. Start the wok with a bit of oil and slivers of ginger and add the sliced choko - it does not need much cooking; the result is sweet and crisp if you don't overcook it. Can be used with other vegetables in a stir fry or cook it with sliced pork or beef.

Time: 15th December 2010 8:04pm

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Rob says...
Its a Caihua vine!

Time: 18th January 2012 11:11am

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Mike says...
Pic 2 sure looks likea choko and you can see the leaves.Pic 1 looks like a gourd especially the bean gourd types like the NG long gourd bean.Is a caihua a type of gourd?

Time: 18th January 2012 6:15pm

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au0rey says...
The leaves in pic 2 dont look like choko leaves to me unless the vine has grown over some other tree branches. My choko leaves look a bit like cucumber leaves.

Time: 18th January 2012 10:57pm

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Mike says...
Just look at the leaves with long green petioles rather than what it is growing on.

Time: 18th January 2012 11:02pm

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SONY says...
THE FIRST ONE IS DEFINETELY A CAIGUA VINE AND THE SECOND A CHOKO. I PLANTED SOME CAIGUA SEEDS AND THE VINE IS A MONSTER BUT SO FAR NO FRUIT. THE FRUITLINGS FALL OFF. I THINKS IT'S TOO HOT...I'M WAITING...I HAD TO PRUNE. IF YOU WANT I CAN SPARE A COUPLE OF SEEDS THAT A FRIEND GAVE ME. THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL STUFFED WITH MEAT LIKE AN EMPANADA (THEY ARE HOLLOW)...
the picture shows caigua behind the cucumber plant
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1

Time: 17th February 2012 9:39pm

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Gus says...
I think chokos are underrated.
They have a really nice fresh crunch to them


Time: 18th February 2012 12:26am

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sony says...
My vine is fruiting now...Caigua seeds are available if you want to plant some this spring.






















Time: 28th July 2012 9:08am

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About the Author sony
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Jantina says...
HI Sony, I'd like to try a seed if you have any spare. Thanks.

Time: 28th July 2012 10:17am

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Dipak Sakya says...
The second photo is that of chayote - Iskus in Nepali ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chayote

Time: 2nd October 2014 8:35pm

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Dipak Sakya says...
The first photo is that of Balsam Apple - barela in Nepali ...

http://tasteofnepal.blogspot.com/2012/03/barela-balsam-apple.html

Time: 2nd October 2014 8:44pm

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sony says...
Yes, caigua is originally from Peru and now grown all over the world..Balsam apple in Nepal...

Depicted in beautiful pre-inca pottery..before Spanish conquest...

I still have seeds..I can't grow them..they need room to climb..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caigua


Time: 3rd October 2014 9:18am

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