African cucumber fruit
African Cucumber has been grown for its ornamental and edible fruits for over 3,000 years. It is strange spotted green skin with a very attractive bright golden yellow to orange colour when ripe, and its solid, spine capped protuberances make it look like it would be more at home on the set of Star walk than in your refrigerator.
Taste-African cucumber taste has been compared to a combination of cucumber and zucchini or a combination of banana, cucumber and lemon. Some eat the shedding as well.. It has a model that does not have horns, but looks and tastes similar. The seeds are covered in a gelatin-like substance. The skin is especially rich in vitamin c and fiber. Before being eaten, adding a small amount of salt or sugar can increase the flavor. However, some people to leave some to decompose in the fields for next summer season seeds/plants.
Look- The horned melon also called African horned cucumber or melon, jelly melon, hedged gourd, English tomato, melano, or kiwano, is an annual creeper in the cucumber and melon family. Its nickname known by as blowfish fruit in Africa - it is grown for its fruit, which looks like an oval melon with spines like horns. The fruit of this plant is edible, but it is used as regularly for decoration as for food. When ripe, it has a yellow-orange skin and a lime green jelly-like flesh.
African Horned Cucumber - Also called Kiwano, Jelly Melon, Hedged Gourd, Blowfish Fruit or Melano.Seeds of this fruits looks in nature as stars irregular in shape with dirty white in color with sharp edges.
This horned cucumber plant is a annual vine, with starts its height from 1.5 to 3m long of African origin. The stem is raw-boned, ridged and hairy with internodes are in 5-8cm long. At each node having a 2.5 to 5cm long curling stem forms, along with two to four pale yellow male flowers,and occasionally a fruiting branch. The small, deeply cut, five-lobed leaves are similar to all of the watermelon. The fruits have an oblong shape, are 5 to 10cm long, light-green until maturity and have individual, long, sharp spines on their exterior.
Cucumis metuliferus is a member of the Cucurbitaceae (gourd) family.
Growing Instructions:
The plant is always sensitive to cold and it may be only grown during in the warm seasons. Hot, dry conditions are best for to preventing powdery mildew.
The plants are grown likewise to cucumbers. Caution is in order because the plants have a "weedy"in nature they are vigorous climbers and robust plants which can also quickly take over the land. The fruit forms in clusters with the fruit closest to the plant center maturing first. They have cut from the vine, gloves should be worn. The fruit turns bright orange when it is ripe.
Cucumber tree is surely an attractive and unusual ornamental tree, an excellent choice for the greenhouse.
House plant and now becoming popular grown as a bonsai, requires warmth climate and bright light nature.
Fruit:
Cucumber-like small fruits which are borne on the trunk as well as the branches. the fruit is too acid to eat raw, but habitually used in place of mango to make chutney.
It is said that the juice is can be used for removing stains from linen. the fruit needs the gentle handling because of the thin skin and once picked cannot be kept for more than a few days.
Foliage: Attractive delicate pinnate leaves which are sensitive to touch .
Flower:Short panicles of dark reddish-purple flowers which are followed by the fruit can be pruned to the desired height.
Click on the below African Cucumber you wish to find about
The various African Cucumber Fruits are distinguished as botanical species rather than as cultivars. The following are those most utilized for food:
1.Pickling
Pickling:The pickling varieties are generally used for making pickles that have a peculiar taste. These pickling varieties are smaller than the slicing varieties
Pickling Cucumbers, though, are the only kind that can not go mushy, because they start off really firm and crisp. Regular cucumbers for fresh eating are called, in contrast, "slicers."
You can make "quick process" bread and butter pickles from slicers, but their slices would not stand up to a fermented pickle process.
Pickling Cucumbers also have a skin to that is less bitter, and undeveloped seeds. They preserve be pickled whole or sliced lengthwise into spear.
Unlike slicers, they are sold unwaxed. Their skin can not be waxed, because that would prevent the pickling solution start getting into the pickle past the skin.
2.Slicing
Slicing:The slicing varieties are generally used in salads and for other food preparations.120 days. Cucumis metuliferus.
Plant produces good yields of pointed oval fruits that are filled with greenish-gold gel. It has the flavor of pomegranate and citrus. Grown for garnishes and decorative fruits. Excellent foodie variety sold at specialty markets. Best when grown on trellis.
Also known as Kiwano and Jelly Melon. A variety from New Zealand.
The substance of potassium in cucumber makes it an ideal meal for people suffering from blood pressure. Not only from this, consumption of cucumber also helps people in relieving who are affected with problems of urinary bladder, kidney, pancreas etc.
Cucumber juice when mixed in equal proportions with carrot juice helps in rheumatic conditions and in growth of long hairs.
Since cucumber contains vitamins and minerals, it helps in avoiding the splitting of nails due to deficiency of minerals and vitamins.
Application:
In addition to the many health benefits the utilization of cucumber have, it also has many benefits when it is used externally. When a paste of raw cucumber and applied to the skin as a face mask, it rejuvenates the skin and helps to reduce swelling and heat from the face.
Cucumber slices is placed on eyes give a relaxed and soothing effect for the eyes by reducing heat and swelling due to excessive pressure. Also when applied to the hair, it increases the shine of the hair acting as a conditioner.
| Nutritive value per 100 g of Cucumber | ||
| Principle | Nutritive value | |
| Saturated fat | 9 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0.0 mg | |
| Protein | 2.1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 16 mg | |
| Sodium | 6 mg | |
| Potassium | 433 mg | |
| Calcium | 42 mg | |
| Vitamin A | 647 mg | |
| Iron | 0.8 mg | |
| Vitamin B | 0.13 mg | |
1. Carrot-Cucumber Acar with Fried Garlic
- ¼ cup virgin olive oil.
- 10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 T minced fresh ginger
- 1 tsp each ground coriander, ground cumin, ground white pepper, ground nutmeg,and curry powder
- 1 cup white vinegar.
- ½ cup brown sugar .
- 1 cup small-diced carrots
- 2 smallish unpeeled cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, then in thin disks.
- 1 red bell pepper, very thinly sliced salt to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Step 1: Fry the garlic in olive oil over in medium heat, rousing frequently for 6 to 7 minutes, until garlic turns as light brown.
Step 2: Add the ginger and spices mixtures and cook for 2 more minutes to mix well, stirring to prevent burning.
Step 3: Add vinegar and sugar and cook 3 more minutes, stirring irregularly.
Step 4: Add the carrots, cucumber, and bell pepper slices, take out from the heat, and stir well.
Time with salt to taste, then add the cilantro.
Step 5: Taken it to room temperature, then refrigerate.
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- ½ cup olive oi
- 2 T fresh lemon juice (about ½ large lemon)
- 2 T honey
- 1 T ground coriander
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh mint
For the salad:
- 1 head frisee, trimmed, washed, and dried
- 1 cucumber, peeled if you want, diced large
- 1 Granny Smith or other tart apple, cored and diced large
- ¼ cup dark raisins
- ½cup walnut pieces, toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking, until they just begin to sizzle, about 5 minutes
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
Step 1: In a small basin, whip together the yogurt and olive oil. Add all remaining dressing ingredients and whip to combine it all well.
Step 2: In a large basin, mix the frisee, cucumber, apple, and raisins. Stir the dressing well, add just enough to moisten the ingredients and flip to coat.
Step 3: Place on a serve plates or individual plates, sprinkle with the walnuts and the pomegranate seeds if you have them, and serve.
|
|
|
