What Is Winter Melon?

Maybe you've come across a winter melon at your local market and wondered what this new-to-you fruit is, and how one might use it in a recipe at home. It resembles a cross between a watermelon and a cucumber, and yet…it's called a winter melon?

As it turns out, a winter melon gets its name from the fact that it can be purchased during the summertime, when produce is plentiful, and stored for months to be used during the late fall and winter season. It belongs to the gourd family, or the cucurbit family; and despite the name, winter melons thrive in warm climates.

These melons, also known as ash gourds, are a popular ingredient in Southeast Asian cuisine — commonly used in vibrant soups and curries, candy creations, desserts, and beverages.

What Does Winter Melon Taste Like?

When shopping for winter melon, you will generally find it as either a mature fruit or an immature version that is smaller in size. The mature fruit has a mild taste while the immature version has a more concentrated sweetness. The overall flavor bears a similarity to the white rind of the watermelon.

A mature winter melon's gentle flavor is comparable to a cucumber with a slightly grassy note. It can be bland at first bite, but has the ability to take on bold, dynamic flavors. This is why winter melon works well in savory dishes. Meanwhile, a young winter melon boasts a sugary taste, more accurately compared to a honeydew or cantaloupe.

What Is Winter Melon Good For?

Even if it's a somewhat unfamiliar ingredient in your kitchen, winter melon is easily incorporated in any number of recipes. You can use it anywhere you would use watermelon rind, bitter melon, bottle gourd, chayote squash, zucchini, or cucuzza. The winter melon is great for dishes like soups, braised dishes, and stir-fries because the neutral flavor seamlessly adopts the flavor profile of other potent ingredients, while adding pleasant texture.

Where to Buy Winter Melon

The best place to find winter melon is at a local market that specializes in Asian ingredients. You'll want to clear room in your shopping cart for this one, as they can be quite large in size. The oblong-shaped melon is a sizable fruit that can be sold as a whole when it is in season.

Some markets will have the melon available pre-sliced in packages for convenience — however, this dramatically shortens their shelf life. The pre-cut produce selections need to be consumed within a week after purchase. As with any selection of pre-cut fruit, there should be no noticeable discoloration or bruising.

How to Cook with Winter Melon

Chinese cuisine uses winter melon in everything from soups, with earthy mushrooms and ham, as well as desserts like "Chinese wife cake," also called "sweetheart cakes." Indian recipes for sweet treats utilize winter melon in clear candies, and it is used as an ingredient in a filling for pastries that are similar to moon cakes. Some recipes call for the winter melon to be steamed and used as a vessel to serve a hearty soup. The neutral flavor can also be incorporated in stir-fry dishes with savory meats.

How to Store Winter Melon

The winter melon you find at the summer market can be stored for months in a cool, dark place so that it can be enjoyed during the winter season when finding a wide variety of fresh produce can prove a shopping challenge. It may even last for an entire year if stored correctly.

When the winter melon is sold in pre-sliced packages it should be kept in the crisper and consumed within a week. Winter melon also is a great option for pickling in jars as another way to enjoy the flavor long after you picked it up at the market.