How to choose a Hami melon? A few practical tips for you

The Hami melon is a type of excellent sweet melon variety, also known as sweet melon, gourd melon, netted melon, etc. The fruit is round or oval. It is produced in **, and the one produced in Hami is the most famous. It is now widely cultivated across China. It is not only sweet and nutritious, 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 Hami melon produced?

The Hami melon is mainly produced in **. In **, except for a few alpine regions, most areas produce Hami melons. High-quality Hami melons are produced in Shixian County in southern Xinjiang, the Hami and Turpan Basins, and the Shihezi area is also quite good. The one produced in Hami is the most famous, so it is called 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 Mi: Fine and dense netting, orange-red flesh, fine and crisp texture, good flavor, sugar content 20%, the best is produced in eastern Xinjiang.

2. Donghu melon: Beautiful netting, tastes like fragrant pear, fresh, sweet and crisp, giving off an inviting milky, fruity and wine aroma.

3. Black Eyebrow: Oval in shape, dark green longitudinal stripes, emerald green flesh, fine texture and juicy, high sugar content, sticky to the mouth and hands.

4. Red Heart Crisp: Orange-red in color, crisp and juicy, with a creamy taste, rich aroma overflowing, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth after eating.

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

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

7. Jiashi melon: Well-proportioned in shape, thick flesh and fine texture, sweet, fragrant and crisp, rich juice and thin skin, high sugar content, ranking first among all sweet 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, taste and flavor of the melon. Be sure to choose Hami melons produced in **, especially those from Shanshan County and Hami City. 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 insect holes, cracks, etc. The more lines and the uglier it looks, the tastier it is, while those with good appearance and no scars are often unripe.

3. Color: Hami melons can be bright yellow or dark yellow. Those with a deep color feel like they have had more sunlight and will be sweeter. You can choose dark yellow ones, because they are relatively a bit sweeter than light-colored ones.

4. Stem: When a netted Hami melon is ripe, the stem end at the back of the melon is slightly sunken, smooth, and densely covered with netting. When a non-netted or semi-netted Hami melon is ripe, the stem end at the back becomes brightly colored, with obvious mottling, the fuzz completely shed, the surface tough, and the feel smooth.

5. Fragrance: A melon with moderate ripeness gives off a rich fragrance from outside the rind. Those with no fragrance or a faint fragrance are less ripe. You can choose a less ripe one as needed, and after putting it in the refrigerator at home for one or two days, once ripe, the aroma will be rich.

6. Firmness: When choosing a Hami melon, you can touch it with your hand and press the melon body. A melon with good ripeness is firm yet slightly soft. Too hard means unripe, and too soft means overripe.

7. Weight: If a Hami melon is too heavy, it is very likely unripe; if too light, it lacks moisture. When choosing, you can weigh it in your hand. A slightly heavier Hami melon is generally very sweet.

8. Tail: If you want to know whether a Hami melon is fresh, you only need to look at the tail of the 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, it is quite likely unripe.

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