Tayota (chayote) is a mild-tasting vegetable, and it is this same mild taste that makes it so versatile, going easily from a flavorful savory dish to this delectable dulce de tayota (chayote in spiced syrup).
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A few weeks ago we had fun on Instagram at the expense of the humble tayota (chayote, chayota, christophine, or mirliton), a mild-tasting vegetable that appears on Dominican tables in a number of savory dishes. But, did you know that you can also make desserts with tayota?
Tayota has a reputation for being --how can we put this delicately?-- challenged in the taste department, but this very mildness that makes it so easy to make fun of, also makes it flexible enough to work well in this sweet dulce de tayota en almíbar, as well as savory dishes.
Dulces en almibar (fruit in spiced syrup) are dear and near for most Dominicans. You can find a number of dulces en almíbar recipes here, and also a lovely unusual combination of ginger and pitaya.
About this recipe
There isn't much to say about this recipe, it's pretty simple, though different people may combine different spices.
Tayota will, as it does in every other dish it appears, absorb the tastes in which it is cooked. It'll end up infused with the sweetness of the sugar, and flavors and aromas of the spices. Served chilled, it is a fantastic summer dessert.
Tayota is very low in carbohydrates, so I also tested a keto and low-carb-friendly version that you can find in the notes.
Buen provecho!
[Recipe + Video] Dulce de Tayota (Chayote in Spiced Syrup)
Ingredients
- 3 tayota, (chayote)
- 1 cup of brown sugar, (see notes)
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 3 star anise
- 9 cloves
- ½ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
Slicing tayota: Cut into halves, peel and core the tayota.With a sharp knife or --better-- a mandoline, slice the tayota very thinly.-
Combining: Mix all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Pour in 1 qt [1 liter] of water.
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Cooking: Heat over medium heat. Simmer. Stir regularly to cook uniformly, and skim the foam that forms on top if it looks like it might overboil. Once the liquid has reduced to about 1½ cup, and the tayota is cooked through (15-20 mins). Remove from the heat, discard the cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves (though I leave them in as decoration).
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Serving and storing: Cool to room temperature, then chill before serving.Store in a lidded jar and refrigerate for up to a week.
