Choko Soup, the Perfect Winter Warmer

Choko, also known as chayote or vegetable pear, is a versatile, mild-flavoured vegetable that is native to South America and has been introduced to Australia. Growing up, there was always a choko vine growing on the back fence, and Mom put them into just about everything. These days, it seems to have gone out of fashion.

Recently I was given a box of them, picked from a friend’s backyard, and while I grew IP with them., I must admit I have no idea what to do with them. I decided to give making choko soup a try, and here’s how it went.

First, I needed to prepare the choko. They don’t have a smooth surface, so peeling would be difficult. They have a seed in the centre, I needed to remove it, and it was hard to cut. I decided to boil them whole. This worked well, as after cooking, the skin peeled off easily, and I was able to cut the cooked and cooled chojo into quarters, like an apple, and remove the centre. Once I had cooked choko, I proceeded to create a soup.

Ingredients

  • One kilogram of cooked and chopped choko
  • 400 grams of coconut yoghurt. I make my own. See the recipe here.
  • One teaspoon of salt
  • One teaspoon of cumin powder
  • Two tablespoons of turmeric powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of chilli

Instructions

  • Place the cooked and chopped choko into a food processor and blend till smooth. If you don’t have a food processor, a stick blender will also work.
  • Put the choko puree into a pot on the stove and add all the remaining ingredients.
  • Add a little water if it is too thick. Mine was perfect the way it was, but this is a matter of personal taste as to thickness.
  • Bring to the boil while stirring.
  • Remove from the heat and let sit for a minute or two before serving.

This is just too easy. I made so much that I placed the excess into meal-sized jars and popped them in the freezer for later use. These jars are 300 ml, perfect for a meal for one.

I served my soup with some homemade sourdough that I had added grated carrot to, and a little garnish of mixed spices.

Cost

  • Choko = Free
  • Coconut Yoghurt = $2.60
  • Salt and spices = say $.50
  • Total: $3.10

I got five jars of soup, which gives me a meal cost of $0.62.

As always, live well.

Valerie

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