They can be eaten raw or added to stir-fries. As with fresh, store the unused water chestnuts in the refrigerator in cold water. Change the water daily, and they should last for up to a week. The flesh inside is white, looking much like it has been lightly covered with snow, and the seeds are white as well. Grown during the summer, it lasts a long time and thus can be eaten during the winter.
Winter melon has a very mild sweet taste.
It is used in soups and stir-fries, where it absorbs the flavors of the ingredients it is cooked with. A famous Chinese dish is winter melon soup, where slices of the melon are simmered in a broth with Chinese dried mushrooms, ham, and seasonings. At banquets the soup is cooked inside a whole carved out melon, which then serves as both steamer and serving bowl. Winter melon is also used in sweets, such as Wife Cake and the Indian treat Petha. You may be able to buy a whole winter melon, but normally you would purchase cut pieces.