Mangoes, pineapples, and bananas are the most popular fruits in the Philippines, along with numerous other crops like green beans, morning glory. This Asian country also has a long list of locally grown, exotic produce. It is much more climate-adapted and tastier than the majority of European fruits and vegetables that you find in stores. When in season, you can find a lot of the native goods in stalls along the roadsides. Below we’ve listed 15 delicious vegetables native to the Philippines

The delicious and beautiful squash is technically a fruit! But, similar to the bitter melon, it’s prepared as a vegetable, so we’re letting it slide. Kalbasa refers to any type of winter squash in the genus 

. Winter squash is a general term for late-growing, less symmetrical, peculiar, bumpy, or blotchy types that are small to medium in size but have long-keeping properties and tough rinds.  

In contrast to summer squash, they are consumed at the mature stage when the seeds have fully developed within, and the skin has solidified into a thick rind. These vegetables are solid enough to preserve them for winter usage. Unlike summer squash, which has edible rind and skin, winter squash is often boiled before eating.

Chapter 13 - 13. Kalbasa – Squash