THE CHINESE CUCURBITS - Growing Chinese Vegetables in Your Own Backyard - page 25

STORING WINTER MELONS
Not the least of this extraordinary melon's virtues is its ability to keep for long periods. It may be stored
for six months to a year if you have the right place for it. So long as the rind is not broken, the flesh will
stay sweet and fresh for many, many months. The storage area should be cool (but not less than 50°F) and
dry. Keep the melon in the position in which it was growing; this is the way it should be put on the shelf.
For short-term storage, a warm place — even an out-of-the-way spot in your pantry — will work as
long as it's dry. Once you cut into a melon, store the rest in the refrigerator; it will keep for about a week.
CULINARY USES
There are many easy ways to use winter melon:
• It's good stir-fried with pork, scallions, and mizuna.
• The immature fruits are delicious in seafood curries.
• If you want an interesting pickle, prepare the rind like watermelon pickle.
CARVED MELON BOWL . The most famous dish is rather elaborate. Both the preparation
and presentation of this dish make it suitable only for a banquet or a very special oc-
casion. You could stake your entire culinary reputation on this one dish. For this dish,
the melon must be completely ripe, covered with a heavy, waxy, white coating. Scrub
off the waxy coating with a stiff brush to reveal the beautiful celadon green skin un-
derneath, then follow these steps:
1. Carve the skin, like a cameo, into a bas-relief dragon or other suitable design. (In Ch-
ina these are sometimes amazingly detailed and elaborate.) The result can look like a
rare Chinese bowl. If you aren't up to this, even simple geometric designs are attract-
ive. The green outside and creamy underskin make it easy to create a work of art.
2. Cut off the top with a saw-toothed edge, like a jack-o'-lantern, and reserve. Remove
seeds and fibers.
3. Find a pot that will hold the whole melon. Since a mature winter melon may be 12
inches long and 8 inches thick, this needs a large pot. If your pot is wide enough but
not quite deep enough, cover with foil to keep in the steam.
4. Place the melon in the pot, suspended in the following manner: Make a sling out of a
several thicknesses of cheesecloth, since the melon is so large and will become a little
soft when cooked. This sling should go under the melon and hang out of the pot on