街市THE WET MARKET
Hairy gourd / fuzzy melon
節瓜
strengthens the spleenwhets the appetitepromotes water metabolism消腫性平不寒，體虛者及小兒皆宜（冬瓜的溫和版）
The hairy gourd or chieh-qua, a small fuzzy-skinned Cantonese variety of winter melon, sold fresh and whole. Scraped (or left unpeeled) and chunked, it cooks to a tender, mild sweetness; being neutral rather than cooling, it is the family-friendly stand-in for winter melon.
TCM properties
Nature · neutral Flavour · sweet、bland Meridians · spleen、stomach
Traditional food therapy
In Cantonese food therapy hairy gourd strengthens the spleen, opens the appetite and promotes water metabolism, and its neutral nature makes it suitable even for the frail and for children.
Cautions: read first
- Almost nothing to avoid, though too much will still make you pass water
Preparation
Scrape the skin or leave it on, then cut into pieces.
Origin
A Guangdong speciality gourd (the black-haired type is the well-known one)
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
Australian name · hairy melon / fuzzy melon
Where · Asian grocers and markets
If it is not there · Young zucchini, or a wedge of winter melon
In season · Summer to early autumn, absent in winter
Checked Fruitezy · 2026-08-19
Where · Asian grocers and markets
If it is not there · Young zucchini, or a wedge of winter melon
In season · Summer to early autumn, absent in winter
Checked Fruitezy · 2026-08-19
