Last week I walked into the grocery store thinking…ok, this will be a surgical strike. In and out in no time since I just needed to get lettuce. Well, forty-five minutes later, I’m going through the reduced produce section to see what I can make from the vegetables that are on sale. They had chayote squash on sale. So of course, I bought a lot 🤣
What is chayote squash?
It is an edible plant that belongs to the gourd family. It’s also known as mirliton and choko. In Vietnamese, we call it su su. At first glance, it reminds me of a pear because of its color (green) and its shape. Cutting it in half reveals it’s white flesh with a white seed.
What to look for?
You want to pick one that is firm to the touch and does not have any brown soft spots, or blemishes.
How to work with it?
You can use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin or a regular knife. I find it’s easier to use a vegetable peeler. If you see any brown spots after peeling the squash, simply remove the brown spots and you’re good to go. When removing the seed, I like to treat it like a pear. What do I mean by this? I first cut it in half. Then I cut each halves in half again to produce four pieces. I then take a small and make a small incision to remove the seed. I find that doing it this way removes all the seed without wasting any of the flesh.
Once the seed is removed, thinly slice it and it’s ready for stir fry.
What does it taste like?
Chayote squash is a great vegetable to work with because it doesn’t have any flavor to start. It’s like a blank canvas. You can add any flavors to it. Once cooked it has a slight sweet yet crunchy texture, similar to a jicama.
What are the benefits?
These vegetables are not only low in calories, they are filled vitamins such as Vitamin C, B9, K, and B6. They also contain minerals and fiber.
Serving & storing the stir fry
I like to serve this with a side of Jasmine rice. If you’re looking to learn how to make fluffy Jasmine rice, check out my Perfect Jasmine rice post.
Any leftovers I will store in an airtight container in the fridge and it will last a few days.
Chayote Squash & Carrot Stir fry (Su Su Xào)
Ingredients
- 3 chayote squash, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp fish sauce. I used Red Boat brand
Instructions
- Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce and pepper in a bowl. Mix well and set this sauce aside.
- Peel the chayote squash, remove the core then thinly slice it.
- Peel and thinly slice the carrots.
- Place 1 tsp oil in the saucepan and cook the carrots for 3-4 minutes. Then remove the carrots from the pan.
- Using the same pan, add more oil then add the thinly sliced chayote squash. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the carrots back into the pan with the chayote squash.
- Pour the sauce on top of the vegetables. Toss to combine and it's ready to serve.
The next time you chayote squash on sale at the grocery store, grab some and give this recipe a try. Looking for more stir fry recipes, try my tofu noodle stir fry recipe.
