This yummy vegetable (or is it a fruit?) is found in Bolivian markets and produce trucks this time of year. It’s grown on a vine plant and has been a part of indigenous food culture for centuries.

I bought these achojchas without really knowing what to expect. When I buy something new I’ve learned to ask how it should be cooked. The vender told me these are typically eaten stuffed, and then baked in the oven.

So I sautéed carrot, onion, corn, and ground beef and topped it then with cheese and popped them in the oven.

I served them with rice and black beans, and for me some shot sauce on top. I was skimpy with the cheese because we’re on lockdown right now and I was just about out of cheese and can’t go food shopping except for on our allotted days. Next time I think I’ll really cheese it up.

I did some googling and found an article in a Bolivian newspaper extolling the virtues of the achojcha. The achojcha is good for lowering bad cholesterol all while raising the good cholesterol. You can find many different Bolivian recipes for relleno de achojcha. Relleno translates to stuffing or filling.

Additionally, according to Wikipedia, other spanish speaking countries call this caigua and the english term for it is slipper gourd or stuffing cucumber. Although I have to say that it in no way tastes like cucumber. Baking it in the oven makes it soft and it’s got the smell (but not the flavor) of a green chile.