The ash gourd, or wax gourd, has a powdery coating on its hard, waxy, green skin which makes it look as though it has been rolled in ash. It somewhat resembles a watermelon and can grow to as large as 40 kg (85 lb). It can be cooked by steaming or stewing with other foods. It is used in India for making a crystallised sweet called petha, in Sri Lanka puhul dosi or may be pickled.
