How to choose a Hami melon? The latest selection tips

The Hami melon is a class of excellent muskmelon varieties, also known as sweet melon, gan melon, netted melon, etc. The fruit is round or oval, produced in Xinjiang, with the one produced in Hami being the most famous, and it is now widely cultivated throughout our country. It is not only sweet-tasting and rich in nutrients, but also has effects such as cooling and relieving summer heat, satisfying hunger and promoting bowel movements, clearing the lungs and stopping coughs, and promoting fluid production and quenching thirst. Now let us take a look at how to choose a Hami melon!

Where is the place of origin of the Hami melon?

The place of origin of the Hami melon is mainly Xinjiang. Apart from a few high-cold zones, most areas of Xinjiang produce Hami melons. High-quality Hami melons are produced in Shixian in southern Xinjiang, the Hami and Turpan basins, and the Shihezi area is also very good. The one produced in Hami is the most famous, hence the name Hami melon. People think it was first produced in Hami, but in fact, the hometown of the Hami melon is not Hami, but Shanshan in the area of the Flaming Mountains.

What varieties of Hami melon are there?

1. Xizhou honey: fine and dense netting, orange-red flesh, fine and crisp texture, good flavor, sugar content 20%, with the best produced in eastern Xinjiang.

2. Donghu melon: beautiful netting, tastes like fragrant pear, fresh, sweet and crisp, giving off an enticing milky, fruity and vinous aroma.

3. Black Eyebrow: oval in shape, with dark green longitudinal stripe patterns, emerald-green flesh, fine texture and juicy, high in sugar, sticky to the mouth and hands.

4. Red Heart Crisp: orange-red in color, crisp and juicy, with a creamy taste, overflowing with rich fragrance, leaving a lingering aroma in the mouth after eating that does not dissipate for a long time.

5. Yellow Egg: golden yellow in color, round and small in shape, flesh like sheep fat, soft and sweet, and placing one melon indoors fills the whole room with fragrance.

6. Xuelihong: the fruit is oval, the rind is white, occasionally with sparse netting, and when ripe it is white with a hint of red, the flesh is light red, and the texture is fine and tender.

7. Jiashi melon: well-proportioned in shape, thick flesh and fine texture, sweet and crisp, rich juice and thin skin, high in sugar content, ranking first among all melons in Xinjiang.

How to choose a Hami melon?

1. Place of origin: the place of origin of a Hami melon directly affects the quality and taste of the melon, so be sure to choose Hami melons produced in Xinjiang, especially those from Shanshan County and Hami City, while melons from other areas such as Kashgar and Jiashi are also very good.

2. Rind: the rind of a Hami melon is striped. When choosing, mainly check whether there are any insect holes, cracks, etc. The more lines and the uglier it is, the better it tastes, while those with good appearance and no scars are often unripe.

3. Color: Hami melons come in bright yellow and also deep yellow. Those with a deep color feel as if they have had more sunlight and will be sweeter, so you can choose deep yellow ones, because they are relatively a little sweeter than light-colored ones.

4. Fruit stalk: when a netted Hami melon is ripe, the fruit stalk at the rear end of the melon is slightly sunken, smooth, and densely covered with netting; when a non-netted or semi-netted Hami melon is ripe, the fruit stalk at the rear end becomes brightly colored, with obvious markings, all down gone, a tough surface, and a smooth feel.

5. Fragrance: a melon with moderate ripeness can be smelled with a rich fragrance outside the rind. Those without fragrance or with faint fragrance are of poorer ripeness. According to need, you can choose a less ripe one, and after taking it home and putting it in the refrigerator for a day or two, it will ripen and then have a rich fragrance.

6. Hardness: when choosing a Hami melon, you can feel it with your hand and press the body of the melon. A melon with good ripeness is firm yet slightly soft; one that is too hard is unripe, and one that is too soft is overripe.

7. Weight: if a Hami melon is too heavy, it is very likely unripe, and if too light, it has no moisture. When choosing, you can weigh it in your hand; a slightly heavier Hami melon is generally very sweet.

8. Tail end: if you want to know whether a Hami melon is fresh or not, you only need to look at the tail end of the Hami melon, the side with the vine. If the vine is still green, then it was picked not long ago; if the color is too green, the chance that it is unripe is relatively high.

9. Shape: Hami melons come in many shapes, commonly long ones and also very round ones. Generally speaking, long ones are relatively more juicy, while round ones are relatively sweeter.