Chayote has a fresh, almost fruity crunch when it is done right. The hard part is taming the raw grassy taste without cooking it to death. Salt and a light dressing do most of the work.
Time
About 2 hours mostly waiting, then a few minutes to dress and serve.
Ingredients
chayote: 1 or 2, depending on size. Pick firm ones with smooth skin. salt: generous amount for the pre-soak step, not all of it stays in the final dish. Sichuan pickled chili (泡椒): a few peppers plus a spoonful of their brine, or to taste. vinegar: rice vinegar or whatever you like with pickled chili; add until it tastes bright, not heavy. optional: a little sugar if the brine is not enough balance; garlic or cilantro if you want extra aroma.
Preparation
- Do not peel the squash. Trim the stem end and blossom end (the shallow cup where the ridges meet), remove the seed, then cut into finger-sized sticks or wedges, roughly the size you would eat in one bite. The skin stays on; it is thin and adds crunch.
- Toss the pieces with salt so they are evenly coated. Leave at room temperature or in the fridge for about 2 hours. A plate or something light on top helps press the pieces and draws moisture out faster. The salt takes much of the grassy edge off.
- Rinse the salt off under cold water and drain well. Taste a piece: it should be crisp and mild, not salty or still strongly grassy.
- Dress lightly with Sichuan pickled chili and vinegar. I like just enough liquid to coat the sticks without pooling in the bowl. Let sit a few minutes, taste, and adjust.
- Serve cold or at room temperature as a side or appetizer.
Notes
- Do not peel. The skin is part of the texture; only trim the stem and blossom ends and take out the seed.
- The salt step is the main trick. Do not skip it or shorten it much if the chayote tastes too green when raw.
- After rinsing, the salad should taste clean and fresh. If it is still grassy, another short salt rest or a longer first rest helps.
- Keep the sauce light. Heavy soy or lots of oil will cover the fruity crunch that makes this worth making.
Thoughts
I reach for pickled chili and vinegar here because they add heat and tang without weighing the dish down. Chayote already has a light, almost pear-like sweetness when the grassiness is gone; a heavy dressing would hide that. Same idea as other cold Sichuan pickles: season to highlight the vegetable, not to replace it.