I hate chokos. And chokos, like all Australiana type things are trending right now. They also grow along the railing at the back of our studio - the stereotypical standard issue vine of many a Australian backyard. Walking past these green wrinkly orbs my curiosity piqued and combined with Mark wearing me down over the past few weeks, claiming chokos as the "best vegetable ever," I found myself hesitantly eating a piece of roasted choko. It was gummy, sweet and delicious. I was puzzled at how a choko; long associated with childhood memories of repeated meals of beige-tasting choko mush, could taste so good.
I delved into the wide world of the internet eager to see what glorious things I could cook up with this hyper-locally grown food and found clearly you either choko or you don't. Passionate comments on forums declaring the choko as the "devil of the vegetable world," that they should be sent to the depths of the ocean via slingshot and they make the best nutritional compost had me all empathetic - before it would have been me fending off anyone with a dish of choko with a good size stick. So I decided to offer up the simple recipe that changed my regard for this vine vegetable so often banished from kitchens around Australia.
Recipe
Ingredients
Chokos
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Butter
Method
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees
Peel or leave un-peeled (see notes below) and slice each choko lengthways into long pieces
Smear choko pieces with butter
Place on a lightly oiled or lined baking tray
Season with salt and pepper
Roast in oven until soft and lightly golden brown around the edges (about 45 - 55min)
Plate up and the key is to enjoy roasted choko fresh from the oven!
Notes
Older chokos are found to have the stickiest of saps just underneath the skin. If you choose to peel your chokos do so under a stream of running water or donning a pair of gloves is highly recommended as the sap will stick to your hands and might cause skin irritation.
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