This item
Zucchini
- Smooth slightly glossy skin
- Straight cylindrical form
- Pale flesh with small soft seeds
Vegetables
Zucchini
A smooth-skinned green cylindrical summer squash that is normally cooked with its thin skin.
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3 identity clues
- Smooth slightly glossy skin
- Straight cylindrical form
- Pale flesh with small soft seeds
Names in other languages
- 繁體中文
- 翠玉瓜
- English
- Zucchini
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Zukini (翠玉瓜)
- Tagalog
- Zucchini (翠玉瓜)
Name in Cantonese (Jyutping): ceoi3 juk6 gwaa1 No Cantonese voice on this device
What is it?
Zucchini is the FEHD market English name for 翠玉瓜 in Hong Kong. It is also called courgette and is different from hairy gourd.
How to identify it
Look for smooth slightly glossy green skin, a fairly straight cylinder and pale moist flesh with small soft seeds. It normally lacks hairy-gourd fuzz.
Common confusion
Compare
Hairy Gourd
- Long cylindrical shape with rounded ends
- Skin normally feels finely fuzzy
- Pale flesh with soft immature seeds
Compare
Chayote
- Pear or fist shape
- Distinct deep fold at the base
- Pale- to medium-green skin
Compare
Cucumber
- A long cylindrical cucumber with crisp watery flesh and green skin.
- Look for a straight cylinder with smooth to lightly bumpy skin; the cut face is pale and juicy with a central seed cavity.
- Cucumber is watery and elongated; zucchini is often stouter with a pronounced stem end.
How to identify it
Zucchini normally has smooth edible skin; hairy gourd normally has fine fuzz and is peeled. Both can be long and green.
Common Hong Kong household uses
Commonly stir-fried with meat, pan-fried, baked or added to soup.
Choosing & preparing
Wash the stem end and skin. The thin skin is normally edible; slice or cut as the recipe requires.
Storage
Keep dry and refrigerated. Wrap cut pieces and use soon.
Helper tip
Hairy gourd normally has fine fuzz and is often peeled; zucchini is usually smooth and cooked with its skin.
What Ma’am or Sir may say
買兩條翠玉瓜，唔係節瓜。The employer wants two zucchini and is specifically warning against hairy gourd.
Useful market phrase
唔該要兩條實身翠玉瓜。Meaning: Two firm Zucchini, please.
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