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    BLANK » Recipe Index » Caribbean Dishes

    Roasted Cho cho (Chayote)

    Last Updated December 18, 2022. Published May 26, 2015 By Charla 12 Comments

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     A simply and easy recipe where this light green fruit known as cho cho to Jamaicans is oven roasted and seasoned to taste. Impress your friends and family with this healthy appetiser.

    seasoned cho cho in a dish

    Roasted cho cho also known as chayote or christophine, are you truly ready for this recipe? Probably not but nevertheless it's coming your way.

    I first introduced this wonderful vegetable to yourselves via my plantain and cho cho curry. Do read on if you are interested in making a healthy Caribbean appetiser.

    What is chayote/christophine/cho cho?

    In case you're not in the loop Chayote is a small green edible pear shaped fruit, although it's eaten like a vegetable that's commonly eaten in the Caribbean and Asia.

    Although it can be eaten raw I'm quite partial to boiling it, stewing it and adding it to soup but as of lately I've been experimenting a lot more courtesy of being a food blogger.

    Don't forget to try one of my newer recipes, where I stuff the Cho Cho/Christophine by boiling and scooping out the flesh and packing it with sauteed saltfish.

    You see the best thing about blogging is experimenting, granted it can be quite exhausting doing lots of trial and plenty of error, trust me the emphasis is more on error than anything else BUT the ability to tap into your creative side speak volumes.

    For instance this roasted cho cho recipe was effortless, how it came about was purely through looking at alternative methods to eating cho cho. As I said before, I usually boil it, now I roast and even stir fry it.

    Where to purchase 

    You can purchase this exotic fruit from any Asian or Caribbean store, I'm doubtful that you'd find this in your local supermarket especially if you live in the western hemisphere.

    If you're seriously interesting in Caribbean cooking then I urge you venue out to places that are ethnically diverse and pick up some unusual fruit and vegetables

    cho cho 1-2 step

    How to cook chayote/christophine/cho cho

    The prep work is super duper easy, to start with the skin doesn't require peeling, so that's extra fibre to your diet. Then cut the chayote into slices, not to thin. By now they should resemblances a plethora of apple slices, only the taste is rather bland.

    I then concocted a dry rub to apply to the slices - thyme, garlic granules, himalayan pink salt, onion powder and black pepper with a splash of coconut oil for roasting. Don't over saturate the cho cho as it won't achieve that crispness and instead become limp and drowsed with oil.

    The crisp factor really depends in the thickness of the slices and your oven temperature. The thicker the slices the longer it would take to roast. Don't be alarmed if all slices don't appear crispy, we want them to be lightly roasted and not charred.

    Cho cho is perfect for weightloss/calorie control diet as it belongs to the same family as melon, cucumber and gourd - all contain a high water content.

    Notes and tips

    • Chayote is low in fat/carbohydrates
    • Suitable most dietary requirements - gluten free, paleo, whole 30, keto

    close up of the cho cho

    Other low Carb Caribbean recipes to try

    • Baigan Choka
    • Buljol
    • Tomato Choka
    • Jamaican Steamed Cabbage
    • Caribbean Salad

    **Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

    Seasoned cho cho

    Roasted Cho Cho (Chayote)

    Paleo, gluten free, vegan roasted chayote, a slightly sweet and utterly delicious squash
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetiser
    Cuisine: Jamaican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 55kcal
    Author: Charla

    Ingredients

    • 2 chayotes
    • 2 teaspoon of dried thyme
    • 1 teaspoon of garlic
    • ¼ teaspoon himalayan pink salt
    • ½ teaspoon of onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon of black pepper
    • spring onions to garnish optional
    • Coconut oil

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven at 190 degrees celsius or gas mark 5 and line a large roasting pan with parchment paper.
    • Using a paring knife, proceed to cut each chayote in half and remove the seed. Then cut the pulp into thin slices and put them in a large mixing bowl.
    • Prepare the dry rub by combining all of the herbs together in a separate bowl.
    • Pour a small amount of coconut oil into washed hands and massage the oil into the slices, remember not to use too much in fear of over saturating the cho cho.
    • Follow up by rubbing the spices into the lubricated chayote, ensuring each slice is coated with seasoning.
    • Evenly distribute the cho cho onto the pan being careful not to overcrowd use two pans if one isn't suffice add some of the optional spring onions and leave the rest to garnish.
    • Roast for 40 minutes or until crisp and golden, be sure to turn over half way through.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 55kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 38IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!
    « Green Banana Porridge (Vegan Style)
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    About Charla

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jennifer

      October 19, 2020 at 12:06 am

      5 stars
      This was wonderful! Next time I’ll cook for 30 minutes and broil for 3. The spices were perfect.

      Reply
      • Charla

        October 19, 2020 at 5:53 pm

        No problem. I'm glad you enjoyed it Jennifer.

        Reply
    2. Christine

      April 19, 2019 at 11:58 am

      5 stars
      We call them ‘Choko’ in New Zealand. I remember my mum steaming them (or included in a hangi) with loads of butter (of course) black pepper and sea salt. So yummy ?

      Reply
      • Charla

        April 19, 2019 at 7:14 pm

        Thanks for commenting Christine

        Reply
    3. Alison Hector

      July 15, 2018 at 9:07 pm

      Thanks, Charla, from one Caribbean foodie to another! 🙂 Going to try this recipe tomorrow. Back home we call chayote christophene, and although I wasn't a big fan of it growing up, I tasted it at a Haitian friend's house (she simple steamed it and added some seasonings) and really liked it. Here's to more chayote!

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 15, 2018 at 9:20 pm

        You're welcome Alison, Cho cho/chayote/christophene is tasteless which is why so many people don't know what to do with it or don't like it. Seasoning it up makes a huge difference in terms of taste, enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Doreen Vanoy

      April 05, 2018 at 5:00 pm

      I recently tasted chayote a few weeks ago while visiting my son and his family. His mother-in-law made beans and rice and she added chayote to her beans. I'm gluten-free, low fodmap, diabetic and renal diets, so there are so many things I can't eat. They just made me try the beans, about 2 T, and they were delicious. I became curious about the chayote so this morning I cut up half of one in small chunks, about 1/2 an orange bell pepper, and a few slices of the green part of a leek. I sauteed them in a little olive oil. When they were done, I mixed 2 eggs with a tiny milk, pink Himalayan salt, and fresh ground pepper and added to my peppers. The peppers and eggs were DELICIOUS. One of my daughters asked what it was, and after tasting it, she also said it was delicious. I've found a new veggie I can eat. I didn't peel it, and the seeds were tiny, so I didn't cut them out. Thanks for your ideas. I now have some other ways of cooking it. I am 71, had 5 kids, have 9 grandchildren and almost 3 great grandchildren. The grandchildren and great grandchildren are mostly hispanic (Puerta Rican, Cuban, Dominican, West Indies Indian, black, Mexican, etc) and so I've been learning about a lot of new dishes. I've always experimented, and like you, I have had some "errors," but overall, even with my diet restrictions, I've learned to cooked delicious food. I thought I could never cook without onions and garlic, but I was wrong. My stomach really thanks me for not eating them!

      Reply
      • Charla

        April 05, 2018 at 5:04 pm

        Hi Doreen, thank you for sharing that wonderful information with me. I'm so glad you were able to experiment with cho cho (chayote). It's quite a diverse vegetable and can do so many things with it. I will include more recipe featuring this lovely veg, if you would like to see it pop up more on my website.

        Reply
    5. Dunori

      December 31, 2015 at 12:00 am

      I used to not be too eager to use it because of it being rather bland I find but this is nice way to try it. Fermented is another way I like it.

      Reply
      • Charla

        December 31, 2015 at 2:17 pm

        You know I grew up with exactly the same experience as yourself. Cho cho (chayote) was very bland and boring. Since becoming a foodie I have learnt so many ways to prepare this vegetable.

        Reply
    6. Natalie Tamara

      May 29, 2015 at 3:47 pm

      This looks so interesting - I'm actually pretty sure I've had chayote before (in fact, I'm sure I was served it a few times in Costa Rica where I've just got back from this week as the cuisine has a lot of similarities with Caribbean cuisine) but have never tried cooking with it. The seasoning sounds perfect to bring out its best, I've pinned it to try later 🙂

      Reply
      • Charlene

        May 30, 2015 at 7:42 am

        Hey Natalie, well Costa Rica is located right in the middle of the tropics so I wouldn't be surprised if you had some on your trip. Please give this recipe a try and let me know if you like it.

        Reply

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