How to choose sweet pumpkin

Selecting sweet aged pumpkins requires observing characteristics such as appearance, texture, color, stem, and weight.

1. Full appearance

High quality pumpkin is usually flat round or pear shaped, with no obvious depressions or protrusions on the surface. Pumpkins with evenly developed bodies have balanced nutrient distribution and more abundant sugar accumulation during their growth process. Avoid choosing pumpkins with damaged or insect infested surfaces, as these pumpkins may lose internal moisture due to damaged skin, affecting sweetness and storage.

2. Hard to touch

The skin of mature pumpkin is hard and difficult to pinch with nails, making a dull sound when struck. The white frost on the skin is a natural protective layer for pumpkin growth, indicating high maturity. Pressing the bottom of the pumpkin should have no elasticity, and if it feels soft, it may have started to rot inside. The more prominent the edges of the melon, the longer the growth cycle and the more thorough the conversion of starch to sugar.

3. Orange Yellow

The skin of sweet old pumpkins is dark orange yellow with uniform color, while pumpkins with sufficient light have a brighter color. Pumpkins with more green parts have insufficient maturity and less sugar accumulation. Some varieties, such as Miben pumpkin, may have light yellow stripes on their skin after maturity, which is a normal phenomenon. Avoid choosing pumpkins with white skin, as they may be stored for too long.

4. Dry stem

The pumpkin stem is completely woody and has dried and shrunk, indicating that it has naturally matured and detached from the vine. Freshly picked pumpkin stems are green in color and contain moisture, and their sweetness has not yet reached its peak. Black mold spots or exudation around the pedicle may indicate internal deterioration. Retaining the intact pedicle can prolong the storage time and prevent microorganisms from invading through the incision.

5. Moderate weight

Pumpkin flesh with greater weight under the same volume is denser, indicating higher starch and sugar content. When weighing, pumpkins that feel dropped are usually well hydrated and have less hollowing. Pumpkins that are too light may lose moisture during storage, leading to fibrosis of the flesh and affecting their taste. Medium sized pumpkins have a more stable sweetness than giant pumpkins, while oversized pumpkins may have uneven sweetness due to nutrient dispersion.

It is recommended to store the selected old pumpkin in a cool and ventilated place, with a temperature of 10-15 degrees Celsius to delay sugar decomposition. Uncut intact pumpkins do not need to be refrigerated to avoid mold growth in humid environments. Before cooking, pumpkin can be dried in the sun for 2-3 days to help convert starch into sugar. Adding a small amount of salt when making pumpkin soup can highlight the sweetness, and pairing it with millet or glutinous rice can enhance the flavor level. People with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold should not eat too much, and diabetes patients need to control their intake.