What The Heck Is A Korean Melon?

What you need to know about picking out, eating, and cooking with this supple, bright-yellow fruit.

What you need to know about picking, prepping, cooking and enjoying this supple, bright-yellow fruit from East Asia. 

Description:  Though there are many varieties of melons popular in Korea, the most common to North America is the chamoe, better known (in the US anyway) as the Korean melon. Approximately the size of a papaya, the oval fruit has a bright-yellow skin with a series of evenly spaced white seams running top to bottom. Inside, the look is similar to that of a honeydew melon, except it’s all white instead of pale green. In addition to the crisp flesh, the seeds and surrounding sweet pulp are targets for many Korean melon fans. The thin, yellow rind, however, while edible, is bitter.

Flavor Profile: The flesh, which is a few notches more supple than a pear, tastes of cantaloupe, pear, and even banana. Others say it has a mildly sweet cucumber flavor.

Choosing a Good One: Avoid a melon with brown spots. Look for a firm melon with a dull, waxy texture that’s heavy for its size and yields slightly under pressure.

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Storage: Store whole melons up to five days at room temperature. Once cut, wrap melon in plastic and refrigerate up to three days.

Culinary Uses: Similar to watermelon, Korean melon makes for a juicy and refreshing summer snack. Eat fresh in wedges or chop into cubes for an addition to fruit salads or green salads. It is also excellent for smoothies, ice cream, and other frozen desserts.

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