Winter melon



Winter melon (Benincasa hispida, Cucurbitaceae) is an asian fruit, similar in some ways to a muskmelon, but with a waxy coating which makes it a very long keeper. It is also called Dong gua, Wax gourd, or White gourd. The fruits are fuzzy when young, before the waxy coating has developed, giving rise to the name Fuzzy melon.

Winter melon requires very warm weather to grow but can be kept through the winter much the same as winter squash. The melons are used in stir fry or to make winter melon soup, which is often served in the scooped out melon, which has been intricately decorated by scraping off the waxy coating.