Gourd first brought by Welsh missionaries to the colonial Mizo Hills is an all-purpose crop

A large green pear that is misshapen and with a rough, rough skin. It is unappetizing, similar to cucumber. These are the typical comments you’re likely to get from someone eating chow-chow the first time. The reason for this is quite simple: Chow-chow isn’t readily accessible in the markets despite being widely grown across the country for over one century.

Chow-chow is a member of the family of gourds known as Cucurbitaceae, which is widespread throughout India. However, it is one of the few gourds which do not originate from India.

Botanists trace its center of source (the region in which the plant was initially domesticated) to Mexico based on the evidence that shows that the Central American part is home to the largest amount of wild cousins of Chow-chow ( Sechium edule)-Sechium edule – the S Compositum, S Antonio, and S taco. The theory is that from here, the chow-chow species, also referred to as Chayote, must have traveled across subtropical and tropical areas around the world.

The plant was introduced to India in the latter half of the 1800s thanks to Welsh missionaries who introduced the gourd to Mizoram. Since that time, chow-chow has widened its area of operation across the Himalayas and has been given several names – it is called itkut in Mizoram, piskot in Meghalaya, and Lonku within Himachal Pradesh.

The vine is currently grown within the region known as peninsular India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, which is known as maerakkai and Bangalore vankaya or Bangalore brinjal.

The vine is similar to other gourd-related species, and nearly every part of it, including fruits, tender shoots, young heart-shaped leaves, and even roots, are edible.

The leaves and fruits are generally available from June through December. The roots that are tuberous and could be used as substitutes for potatoes are readily available once the vines are dry between January and March.

Since the fruit, tender shoots, and tubers are in season for ten months of the year, they have been a major ingredient in the cuisines of the northwestern regions, especially Mizoram. The vegetable is also a favorite in the southern part of India. The vegetable is popular in Tamil Nadu; it is commonly used for cooking in dishes such as Sambar, kootu, poriyal, and thuvayal.

The vine has many different uses. An article published by Veterinary World in July 2015 in Mizoram proves that a diet made from mature leaves and fruits could be used to replace the traditional diet for pigs’ growers without having any negative impacts on their growth or nutrient utilization. The fibers derived from the mature woody stems can be used to make baskets, ropes, and hats.

A number of research papers have discovered the therapeutic properties of the chow-chow. A review article that was published in Frontiers in Plant Science in September 2021 states that chow-chow fruits are high in vitamin C and vitamins E and folate, as well as minerals like potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. They also have anti-cardiovascular, antiobesity, antidiabetic, as well as antiulcer and anticancer properties.

As a good source of dietary fibers, minerals, and protein, as well as carotenoids and vitamins, as well as polysaccharides, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and many other nutrients, chow-chow is in high demand in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Since it is a vegetable with low calories, it’s also a great option for infant meals and diets for hospitals.

However, only a few farmers are able to grow the crop at a commercial scale, in part because of a lack of high-quality plant material. In contrast to other plants of the gourd family that have multiple seeds, chow is a single seed, and very little effort is being made to develop commercial varieties.

It’s time to recognize the full potential of chow-chow that can be seen in Mizoram as an attractive option for farmers. Prior to the 80s, this vineyard was grown in the state on marginal soils with poor drainage.

When researchers discovered that the vine could thrive in agro-ecologically harsh environments, governments pushed the plant among those who practice the jhum, which is also known as shifting cultivation.

In Sihphir village in Aizawl district In Sihphir village of Aizawl district, the government helped farmers in their efforts to cultivate and market their chow-chow in a controlled manner through the establishment of the Iskut Growers Association by providing them with subsidies through price assistance during the 1990s.

Nowadays, the farmers of Mizoram are not only supplying the crop to different parts of India but exporting it to other countries, such as Bangladesh. In the year 2018, the department of Horticulture in the state requested a Geographical Indication (GI) tag to identify Mizo Chow-Chow. However, the application was denied because the petitioners didn’t provide information about the usage and the uniqueness of the product.

Veerendra Kumar Verma, director of horticulture for the ICAR (The Indian Council for Research in Agricultural Sciences) Research Complex for the North Eastern Hill (NEH) region, explains that chow-chow is extremely productive, durable, and simple to keep in check, which is why it’s highly sought-after in the Northeast where nearly every home has one or two plants.

The IInstitute’sresearch has revealed over 70 different landraces within the northeastern region. They have a wide range of the color of the fruit, its size, and composition. This includes the amount of vitamin C total sugar, phenol and.

The regional center of the institutes located within Mizoram is able to identify four varieties that are heat-tolerant of Chow-chow, which could help increase commercialization of the plant in warmer climates as well as non-traditional regions.

RECIPE – CHAYOTE CURRY

Ingredients

• Chow-chow: 1 (diced)
• Potato: 1
• Onion:1 (finely sliced)
• Tomato: 1 (chopped)
• Ginger: 5cm piece (finely shredded)
• Garlic: 5-6 cloves (diced)
• Chilli powder one teaspoon
• Coriander powder one teaspoon
• Turmeric 1 teaspoon
• Oil 2 tablespoons
• Salt to taste

Method

Cut the chow-chow into pieces. Boil and then peel the potato and then smash it. In a pan, heat oil and add the onion as well as garlic, ginger and. Add the coriander powder, chili powder, as well as salt and turmeric, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the diced tomato and then add the pieces of chow-chow. Mix well, add a small amount of liquid, and simmer until it becomes soft. Add the mashed potato along with water to make it more consistent according to what you’ll be eating the dish with (rice or Roti). It will cook for a few more time.