Vegetables
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a market group whose shape and rind colour vary; cut forms commonly show a hard rind, thick flesh and central seed cavity.
- 繁體中文
- 南瓜
- English
- Pumpkin
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Labu kuning
- Tagalog
- Kalabasa
What is it?
Pumpkin is a market group whose shape and rind colour vary; cut forms commonly show a hard rind, thick flesh and central seed cavity. This page follows the authoritative HK-market name and identification scope.
How to identify it
Use the hard rind, thick flesh and seed cavity together; no single shape or orange colour is universal.
- hard outer rind
- central seed cavity
- commonly yellow-to-orange thick flesh with variation
Common confusion
Hairy gourd is usually elongated with thinner skin and lacks the pumpkin market group’s typical hard rind and large seed cavity.
Common Hong Kong household uses
Use Pumpkin only where the recipe names it, following the stated amount and cooking method.
Preparation or handling
Wash thoroughly under clean running water immediately before preparation; CFS does not recommend soap or produce wash.
Storage
Follow CFS vegetable-storage guidance and purchase directions; if washed before storage, dry thoroughly first.
Helper tip
Hairy gourd is usually elongated with thinner skin and lacks the pumpkin market group’s typical hard rind and large seed cavity.
What Ma’am or Sir may say
買南瓜。The employer is asking you to buy Pumpkin; check the market sign or original package.
Useful market phrase
我想買南瓜。Does the image look correct?
Last reviewed
Sources
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Public Market Items Multilingual Booklet
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Public Market Items - Gourds
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Gourds and other vegetables Cantonese pinyin
- Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — Safe and Fresh: Practical Tips for Storing Vegetables
- Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — Pesticide Residues in Food - Frequently Asked Questions