are often consumed in salads and stir-fries. The fruit does not need to be peeled to be cooked or fried in slices. It has a very mild flavor. It is commonly served with seasonings (e.g., salt, butter and pepper in Australia) or in a dish with other vegetables and flavorings. It can also be boiled, stuffed, mashed, baked, fried, or pickled in escabeche sauce. Both fruit and seed are rich in amino acids and vitamin C. Fresh green fruit are firm and without brown spots or signs of sprouting; smaller fruit are usually more tender. Chayote can be sliced lengthwise and eaten using salad dressing dip. The seed is edible and tasty to some when served cold, dipped in dressing. The tuberous part of the root is starchy and eaten like a yam; it can be fried. It can be used as pig or cattle fodder. North America Culinary use of the chayote in North America has tended to be regional. In Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine, the fruit is a popular seasonal dish for the holidays, especially around Thanksgiving, in a variety of recipes. Chayote is an important part of traditional diets across Mesoamerica, and can be found in a variety of dishes. In Guatemala, the darker fruit are known as güisquil, while the lighter, yellower variety is called perulero. The root, known as ichintal, is also a seasonal delicacy there. The fruit of the chayote is used in a type of Guatemalan chilaquiles called caldos, where a piece of cheese is placed between two slices of chayote and then dipped in egg batter and fried. In Eastern Caribbean English the fruit, used as a vegetable, is known as christophene. In Jamaica and other places in the western Caribbean it is known as chocho. The fruit is called tayota in the Dominican Republic. South America In Brazil (locally called chuchu) and other Latin American countries, it is breaded and fried, or used cooked in salads, soups, stews and soufflés. 'Chuchu' (or 'Xuxú') is also a term of endearment in Brazil, like 'Honey' in English. Asia Chayote is widely used in much of Asia, especially in tropical areas. In temperate Northeast Asia, chayote is less common. In Korea, chayote is also known as chayote () and is commonly used as a side dish in either pickled or marinated form. This fruit is most commonly pickled with vinegar and soy sauce