This item
Wax Gourd (Winter Melon)
- Usually larger and heavier than hairy gourd or angled luffa
- Mature skin often has pale waxy bloom
- Thick white flesh around a central seed cavity
Vegetables
Wax Gourd (Winter Melon)
A large heavy green gourd whose mature skin often has a pale waxy bloom, with thick white flesh around a seed cavity.
Share with Helper
Choose the recipient language and share that exact page.
3 identity clues
- Usually larger and heavier than hairy gourd or angled luffa
- Mature skin often has pale waxy bloom
- Thick white flesh around a central seed cavity
Names in other languages
- 繁體中文
- 冬瓜
- English
- Wax Gourd (Winter Melon)
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Wax Gourd / Winter Melon (冬瓜)
- Tagalog
- Wax Gourd / Winter Melon (冬瓜)
Name in Cantonese (Jyutping): dung1 gwaa1 No Cantonese voice on this device
What is it?
Wax gourd is the official Hong Kong market English name for 冬瓜; winter melon is another common English name and kondol is used in Tagalog.
How to identify it
Look for a large heavy cylindrical or oval gourd, dark-green skin that may have waxy bloom, and thick white flesh around a central seed cavity.
Common confusion
Compare
Hairy Gourd
- Long cylindrical shape with rounded ends
- Skin normally feels finely fuzzy
- Pale flesh with soft immature seeds
Compare
Angled Luffa
- Long green body
- Prominent lengthwise ridges
- Near star-shaped cut surface with pale flesh
Compare
Pumpkin
- hard outer rind
- central seed cavity
- commonly yellow-to-orange thick flesh with variation
How to identify it
Wax gourd is large, thick-fleshed and often waxy; hairy gourd is smaller and angled luffa has strong ridges. Pumpkin is distinguished by a hard rind and orange or yellow flesh around a seed cavity; do not assume one universal shape.
Common Hong Kong household uses
Commonly used in soup, braises and steamed dishes.
Choosing & preparing
Wash the outside under running water, then peel, remove seeds and cut as the recipe requires.
Storage
Keep whole gourd cool and dry; wrap cut pieces, refrigerate and use soon.
Helper tip
Wax gourd lacks the long raised ridges of angled luffa and is normally much larger than hairy gourd.
What Ma’am or Sir may say
買一件冬瓜煲湯，要厚肉少籽。The employer wants a piece of thick-fleshed wax gourd with a smaller seed cavity for soup.
Useful market phrase
唔該切一件厚肉冬瓜。Meaning: Please cut a piece of winter melon with thick flesh.
Does the image look correct?
Last reviewed: