Every part of the pumpkin, from flesh to seeds, can be eaten; a farmer's restaurant shares nutritious recipes

Pumpkin is extremely nutritious, and everything from the flesh to the seeds can be eaten. The flesh ranks first among domestic cucurbit vegetables in vitamin A content, while pumpkin seeds are rich in fat, protein, vitamin E and more, and contain relatively high levels of the trace element zinc. In Europe and America they are a supplemental food for preventing benign prostatic hyperplasia, and they can also be pressed for pumpkin seed oil.

There are many pumpkin varieties, each with different characteristics, textures and suitable dishes. Wang Qizheng, a researcher at the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, said the way Chinese pumpkins and Western pumpkins (Cucurbita maxima) are used is different. Westerners leave Western pumpkins sitting for a long time after Halloween and then blend them straight into thick soup, while Easterners are used to eating them directly, so the breeding goal for Chinese pumpkins leans toward soft, fragrant, springy texture that is easy to eat.

Even among Western pumpkins, different varieties have different textures. Liang Guosheng, section chief of the vegetable and fruit division at Known-You Seed Co., shared that although they all eat as soft as chestnuts, Yipin and Xiaohei have a more mealy texture, while most people prefer the soft, tender and springy Dongsheng pumpkin. Hualien pumpkin farmer Zheng Yaling also reminded: even among Western pumpkins, chestnut pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima 'Chestnut') is very tasty, but ornamental and toy pumpkins have relatively coarse fiber and are generally not recommended for eating. (There are many varieties in the pumpkin family; please read here)

Known-You Seed: Libai pumpkin is the tastiest variety among Western pumpkins

The relatively obscure Libai pumpkin among Western pumpkins is rarely seen on the market. Liang Guosheng believes this variety is the tastiest of all Western pumpkins. The restaurant operator Xiao Xiao Shu Fang bought some at a farmers market last year and used it, and also considers it the tastiest pumpkin: "Its exterior color is like faintly green ink wash, and when eaten it does not have the heavy scent of chestnut pumpkin, nor the earthy taste of Ajiao, Acheng and others. The flavor is elegant and the texture is fine."