🍱 Chate aemono

When the hot summer is over and there are signs of autumn approaching, the season for chate arrives. Chaate is a plant of the Cucurbitaceae family that is native to tropical America. It was introduced to Kagoshima Prefecture from overseas in 1907, so it is commonly called “hayatouri.” It is a vine, and one of its characteristics is that it bears many fruits on its vines. It is also called “sennari” because a single plant produces 100 to 200 fruits. It is said that the English name “chayote” was passed down to Kochi Prefecture, and was corrupted to become “chate.” The fruits come in a variety of shapes, including pear, oval, and conical shapes. The colors vary from whitish to greenish. It is easy to grow and is a popular ingredient, especially in mountainous regions. It is rarely cultivated for commercial purposes and is often cultivated for home consumption. Many households grow them in their vegetable gardens or as green curtains for shade. For this reason, it is common for neighbors to share chate among themselves. Chate is often used as an ingredient in everyday home cooking, and chate aemono is especially easy to prepare, so it is easy to add to your daily cooking repertoire.