Once upon a vine

A bit like a cucumber crossed with a courgette, caigua is a vigorous vine.

Heritage vegetables continue to come under the spotlight, and a South American attracting attention now has been around for at least 2000 years. It is caigua (Cyclanthera pedata), a relative of the cucumber.

WHAT IS IT?

An annual, caigua belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, having the prickly, cucumber-like fruit typical of this group. Plants can grow 4m in a season, the leaves resembling those of marijuana. Now widespread in Central and South America, caigua (pronounced ‘kaiwa’) has a variety of names, including achocho, stuffing cucumber and lady’s slipper. the Colombian name is pepino, not to be confused with Solanum muricatum, the striped subtropical fruit we know by that name.

LOOKING BACK

No one knows exactly where caigua originated, as it has never been found in the wild – only as a cultivated crop. Grown in the Andes for at least 2000 years (as attested by designs on early Peruvian pottery), it’s a fair bet that the plant came from somewhere in South America. It’s not clear when caigua made it to New Zealand, either, but the late Virgil Evetts, a garden writer who loved trying anything different, was growing them in his Auckland garden in 2010.

GROWING CAIGUA

As long as outdoor planting is delayed until the frosts have departed, caigua can be grown throughout New Zealand.

Strictly speaking a perennial, it is treated as an annual in this country because the first hard frost will kill it.

treat seed as you would cucumber, sowing indoors or in trays in a glasshouse in September or October and planting seedlings outdoors in November in rich soil. Position them where they can climb a trellis or archway. Alternatively, if you have the space, follow the example of Gerard Martin, of Kings Seeds, and just let them run along the ground. Expect up to 100 fruits per vine, so a single plant will be enough for most households.

IN THE KITCHEN

A versatile vegetable, one of caigua’s other names is stuffing cucumber, giving a hint to its main use. Bigger fruit can be halved, deseeded and filled with curd cheese, fish, minced meat or just about anything else you may fancy, then baked. the result is a bit like stuffed capsicums.

Crisp little immature caigua pods can be popped into salads, while at any stage, the fruit can used in stir-fries and soups. the leaves are edible, too.

OTHER USES

Caigua are believed to be good for lowering cholesterol, controlling coronary issues and managing circulatory problems, among other health benefits. As with many plant-based health remedies, work is underway to assess its future potential.

In Chile, a university project is working to develop caigua, part of a programme to classify and save indigenous food crops.