heBuy Long Opo Chinese Squash | Exotic Fruit Box
The Opo Chinese Squash is picked when it is ten to fifteen inches long and has a long, cylindrical shape. It has a creamy white inside and tiny seeds encased in a skin that can be anywhere from pale green to chartreuse. When the squash is young, the seeds are soft and edible, but as it matures, the seeds turn tough and should be removed before eating. Opo squash has a solid yet soft texture and a mellow flavor that is reminiscent of a cross between summer squash and cucumber.
This type of squash is known as the Chinese Long Squash or Opo Squash and is a member of the calabash family. It is often referred to as Cucuzza, but this name is not related to the Yakuza. It is similar to zucchini, but much larger in size. These squashes are believed to be one of the earliest cultivated crops in human history, indicating their longevity.
Long Green Squash from China
Opo squash can be found at any time of the year. Opo squash is a type of Oriental squash that comes from the Lagenaria siceraria genus in the botanical family Cucurbitaceae. Although it is commonly used in cooking as a summer squash, botanically speaking it is a type of gourd.
Opo squash is a calabash-type squash that, depending on where it is grown, is also known as Cucuzza, Bottle gourd, Tasmania bean, and Snake gourd. When the skin is covered in hairs, the Chinese call it Opo and Hulu or Moa Gua.
Some Health Benefits of Asian Squash
The nutrient content of opo squash is minimal, but it does include some vitamins and minerals. It’s high fiber content is said to promote digestive health. Opo squash juice has been studied for its possible role in blood sugar regulation due to its high vitamin C and zinc content.Long Opo Chinese Squash
Although Opo Chinese Squash juice is widely drunk in India for its purported health benefits, those who drink it should avoid drinking it after it develops a bitter taste; this is because it may contain toxins that are exceedingly hazardous to the digestive tract and can cause ulcers and even death.
How to Consume Opo Squash
Opo squash is most commonly used in savory dishes. It can be used young with the skin still on, or it can be peeled off later for a softer feel. Opo squash, when young, can be utilized in the same way that zucchini can. In China, Opo squash is commonly used in a variety of soups, stews, and stir-fries, as well as grated into batter for fast breads and fritters. Opo squashes that have reached maturity are delicious when slow roasted or pureed and used to soups and sauces.
It is common practice in China to hollow out an Opo squash, fill it, and then steam or bake the dish. Eggplant, cabbage, bitter greens, onion, hot peppers, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, coconut milk, pork, shellfish, and sausage all complement its flavor and texture well. Opo squash should be kept dry and refrigerated for up to three weeks before being consumed.
Get Fresh Chinese Opo Squash near me in USA
Opo squash is eaten when young, but its dried, mature form has many other use throughout Asia. In China the dried Opo is viewed as a sign for health and is believed to absorb negative energy that could hurt the body. In ancient China doctors were also known to carry medicine inside the dried squash for use in healing the ill.
The Chinese culture Opo squash were also for a time grown in molds to make varied forms then dried, carved decoratively and used to house pet crickets, the gourd providing not only a home for the bugs but amplifying their sound and forming a musical instrument of sorts as well. In India when dried the Opo squash has long been used to construct the basis of musical instruments such as the sitar. In the Hindu faith dried Opo gourd is used as a receptacle in ceremonies and named the kamandalu.
History Squash Fruit
Calabash squashes, like the Opo, were among the earliest domesticated plants in the world and are thought to have originated in Africa more than 10,000 years ago. As a result of human migration, it is now found in many different parts of the world and goes by a variety of names. While the term Opo is most commonly used in China, you may encounter it under this name when shopping or dining at establishments that feature Chinese cuisine or when purchasing plants from farmers that specialize in Chinese ingredients.Long Opo Chinese Squash
Upo in the Philippines, Bak in Korea, and Yugao in Japan are all names for the same thing. The Opo, like other calabash squashes, has a long, warm growing season and, like other calabash squashes, benefits from being trellised or grown near a vertical support to hold the enormous fruits off the ground and allow for air circulation around them, resulting in longer, straighter fruit.
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