''Chi qua'' is the fruit of ''Benincasa hispida'' var. ''chieh-qua'', a

variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

of the

wax gourd ''Benincasa hispida'', the wax gourd, also called ash gourd, white gourd, winter gourd, winter melon, tallow gourd, ash pumpkin, Chinese preserving melon, is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable when mature. It is nat ...

. The fruit is a staple of the Chinese diet.

Etymology

The fruit is commonly referred to in Chinese as ''chi qua'' (), but can also be referred to as ''moa qua'' or ''moa gua'' (). In English, the fruit is known by a variety of names including hairy melon, hairy gourd, hairy cucumber, fuzzy gourd, fuzzy squash, Chinese preserving melon, wax gourd, or small winter melon.

Cultivation

The fruit is produced on vines in warm temperatures, at 25°C to 35°C, and is sensitive to frost. In China, it is commonly cultivated in

Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefecture in AD 226. The name "''Guang''" ultimately came from Guangxin ( zh, labels=no, first=t, t= , s=广信), an outpost established in Han dynasty ...

and

Guangxi Guangxi,; officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People's Republic of China, located in South China and bordering Vietnam (Hà Giang Province, Hà Giang, Cao Bằn ...

Uses

''Chi quas'', covered by a coating of fine hairs, must be prepared carefully to avoid skin irritations. While young ''chi qua''s can be eaten raw, they are usually cooked. They are prepared and eaten in a similar fashion to

summer squash Summer squash are squashes that are harvested when immature, while the rind is still tender and edible. Most summer squashes are varieties of ''Cucurbita pepo'', though some are '' C. moschata''. Most summer squash have a bushy growth habit, un ...

zucchini Zucchini (; : ''zucchini'' or ''zucchinis''), courgette () or ''Cucurbita pepo'' is a summer squash, a Vine, vining herbaceous plant whose fruit are harvested when their immature seeds and Fruit anatomy#Epicarp, epicarp (rind) are still soft a ...

. In China, they are usually eaten in the summer. The gourd is also used in Andean,

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

, East African,

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

South American South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

and

Southeast Asian cuisine This is a list of Asian cuisines, by region. A cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, usually associated with a specific culture or region. Asia, being the largest, most populous and culturally diverse continent, ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15231019 Benincaseae Fruit vegetables Melons