Plant atlas Short
Winter Melon: The Waxy Gourd That Soaks Up Broth
Wax Gourd / Winter Melon · ฟักเขียว · Benincasa hispida
Wax Gourd / Winter Melon — ฟักเขียว (fak-khiao) — Benincasa hispida.
Why do Thai cooks simmer this giant waxy gourd instead of eating it raw? Winter melon — ฟักเขียว, fak-khiao. It soaks up broth and curry until it cooks down soft, light, and silky. The edible part is the fruit. Thai folk tradition calls it cooling. Nutritionally it comes down to two things: vitamin C and fiber. The vitamin C is what your body uses to build collagen for skin and to run normal immune defense, plus antioxidant protection for your cells. The fiber is the ordinary food kind — bulk that helps you feel full, keeps digestion regular, and can slow how fast sugar is absorbed, the way fiber works in any food. In kaeng gai, winter melon simmers with chicken in a light red curry until the chunks turn soft and glassy-translucent, then gets spooned over hot jasmine rice. In tom jued, the same gourd goes into a clear garlic broth with chicken and cooks down mild and soft, a plain everyday soup beside rice. A single fruit can grow to several kilos. Resting right on the soil under a waxy, frost-like coat. Follow Longevity Biome for a new Thai plant every day.
Light Chicken Curry with Winter Melon — แกงไก่ใส่ฟักเขียว (gaeng-gai-sai-fak-kiao)
Thai Winter Melon Soup — ต้มจืดฟักเขียว (tom-jeut-fak-kiao)
Source: Al-Snafi AE (2013). Pharmacological importance of Benincasa hispida: review. Int J Pharma Sci Res. No primary antihyperuricemic/GFR trial located
Educational content, not medical advice! Consult your doctor before changing diet or medication.
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Food and nutrients
Rich in: vitamin C, fiber
Research context
Winter melon is traditionally used as a diuretic