Chayote Is the Perfect Vegan Fish Substitute
This thin-skinned, light and crunchy green squash makes for a perfect vegan ceviche — and a great canvas for further fishy experimentation
A vegan ceviche is one of those dishes that can be whipped up with such ease, yet comes off to guests as utterly considered. But not all ingredients are created equally: While I’ve made delicious seasonal ceviche using corn and peach in the summertime, there’s one vegetable that has proven indispensable — and I’ve only found out about its powers recently, though it’s available in many supermarkets. This ceviche game-changer? The pale green or white, avocado-shaped squash called chayote, which is easy to work with thanks to its thin skin. Whether cutting it into cubes or ribbons, it’s hard to screw up.
For chef Karla Torres Ortega, who serves a chayote ceviche in the squash’s own hollowed-out skins at her restaurant Teta’s in Cayey, Puerto Rico, using chayote reminds her of a connection to the land — and of the importance of not counting out vegetables just because there’s meat or fish available.
