A winter melon is a daunting proposition. It’s huge. The average Chinatown-market melon is around 10 pounds. Bring one home and you’ve got several meals in one giant melon package.

Winter melon goes by many names: togan in Japanese, shibui in Okinawan, tung gwa in Chinese. Other names: ash gourd, wax gourd, winter pumpkin and more.

“I love togan,” wrote Masao Nakamura, “however I only have a limited number of recipes to chose from. If you should have some I would appreciate getting them.”

That sounded like a worthy challenge, so I went off in search of a winter melon — found it in a Chinatown market and carried it home like a baby. It provided so much melon meat that I was able to try it a half-dozen ways. Nakamura calls these big babies “magees.”

You may know this melon best from the traditional Chinese soup cooked inside a whole melon. This is a spectacular dish, but it’s designed for a crowd. My aim was a number of different dishes that could feed a single family for days, in forms that varied enough to avoid the onset of melon fatigue.

The most reliable source for these melons is the markets on Kekaulike Mall in China­town. If you can’t find one, go after the smaller opo squash, a long, green squash that’s easy to get in supermarkets (sometimes called long squash). The texture is similar to a winter melon and it can be used in many of the same ways.

Neither one has much flavor. Like tofu, it tends to absorb the taste of the sauces or broths it is cooked in. You can substitute it in many recipes for other squashes, potatoes or daikon. Nakamura uses his in an Okinawan pig’s feet soup as a supplement to the daikon that’s traditional.

Here are ways to swap melon into your own favorite recipes, eat it raw or create something truly built around the melon. You really could stretch that melon over a couple of weeks — it’s easy to cut up and will keep nicely, in large pieces, wrapped up and refrigerated.

Even after all this cooking, I still have 3 pounds of melon left. Maybe it will be pig’s feet next.

STEWED

Chunks of melon are a great addition to a stew, no matter what type is your favorite — from a standard beef stew to a curry stew. The melon will take on the flavor of your sauce and almost make it seem as though you’ve added more meat.

Cut the melon in large chunks and add in the last 10 minutes or so of cooking.

STIR-FRIED

Winter melon will take on the taste of the sauce or marinade you use in your stir-fry. Its downfall is that it has no color, so add a bright-colored veggie such as asparagus or red bell pepper to brighten your dish.

Cut melon into thick matchsticks about 2 inches long. Marinate sliced pork or beef in oyster sauce, minced garlic and ginger. Stir-fry in a small amount of vegetable oil until pork is cooked through and melon is crisp-tender.

IN THE RAW

Winter melon is very easy to shred using an ordinary grater, and is similar to daikon in texture. Use it under sashimi, like daikon or cabbage, or make it into a quick, fresh salad.

Add a bottled dressing with a sesame oil base, or make a quick dressing with 1 part rice vinegar, 1 part shoyu, 1 part sesame oil and a few drops of hot sauce.

Or, toss cubes of raw melon with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let sit 15 minutes then enjoy as a crunchy side dish.

ASH GOURD curry is a dumbed-down version of an Indian curry made with winter melon and coconut. In a traditional kitchen, a variety of whole spices would be ground with curry leaves; I’ve opted to use a few key ground spices and lime as a substitute for the curry leaves. If you can’t get ahold of unsweetened coconut, try using a bit of coconut milk. The dish will be soupier, but still tasty.

What I haven’t scrimped on is an Indian technique called tempering, or heating spices in hot oil to draw out flavor. This adds a lot to the final dish.

This is a vegan dish, but meat eaters can add browned chunks of pork, beef or chicken; just simmer with the melon.

ASH GOURD CURRY

By Betty Shimabukuro

• 1-1/4 pounds winter melon, cut in cubes (about 4 cups)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 cup unsweetened grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup water
• Zest and juice of half a lime
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt, stirred
• >> Tempering oil:
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 4 dried chilies, sliced

Place melon chunks in a pot with salt, turmeric and enough water to cover. Bring to boil, then lower heat to simmer; cook 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, crush coconut, garlic, cumin and water into a paste, using mortar and pestle or food processor. Add to melon in pot; continue to simmer until melon is tender.

Make tempering oil: Heat oil in skillet over high; add coriander seeds and chilies, cook until fragrant, being careful not to burn. Stir into pot with melon, then add lime zest and juice.

Turn off heat; gently stir in yogurt. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 130 calories, 10 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 750 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 2 g protein.

A BASIC Chinese-style pork hash can be used as a filling for melon slices. Pork hash and melon also make a good combination in a chicken soup. Cut the melon in chunks and form the hash into meatballs and let both simmer away in your favorite soup.

STUFFED WINTER MELON SLICES

By Betty Shimabukuro

• 1 pound winter melon (about a 2-inch round slice from a whole melon)
• >> Filling (for both ways):
• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water until soft
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 3 tablespoons minced green onion
• 3 water chestnuts, minced
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

>> To make filling: Squeeze mushrooms dry; cut off stems and discard. Mince mushroom caps. Combine with remaining filling ingredients. Set aside.

Place round melon slice flat on cutting board and cut in half. Stand up each half and cut into slices a little less than 1/4-inch thick. You’ll get 16-20 slices, depending on how thin you’re able to slice. Cut away the skin, then the pulp and seeds in the center, leaving crescent-shaped slices.

Bring a pot of water to boil; add melon slices. Lower heat to simmer and cook until slices are soft enough to fold over without breaking. Remove and drain.

Roll filling into balls and fold melon slices around filling. Place on plate that fits inside your steamer (work in batches if necessary). Steam over simmering water 8-10 minutes, until melon is soft and pork is cooked through. Serves 4-6.

>> Note: If you’re using a smaller long squash, slice it into rounds, cut out the center portion and simply stuff the center with filling.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Write By Request, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or email requests to bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com.