What is a Chinese gourd?

What is a Chinese gourd?

The gourd is a type of climbing plant from the Cucurbitaceous family, which also includes squash and melon. Fresh gourds are covered with a tender green skin and are eaten as vegetables. Mature gourds have a golden yellow hue. Ancient people fashioned gourds into snuff powder bottles and flower vases.

What is a gourd good for?

Healthier digestion: Gourds are full of fiber that helps to enhance digestion (insoluble fiber) and promote healthy cholesterol levels (soluble fiber). Boost immunity: A healthy immune system is always a good thing, but especially so in winter when it seems like everyone has a bug.

What does gourd taste like?

Gourds are not bred for their taste. They taste like any other squash, only less flavorful and maybe more bitter. For the most part, if you want to eat a cucurbit.

What is a calabash used for?

Calabash is the term used for artefacts made from the hard shell of a fruit in the gourd family “Lagenaria siceraria.” Once the calabash is dried and hollowed out it can be used for serving or storing food. It can also be used as an inkpot, cosmetic container and by market women as a money box.

What is Chinese bitter melon?

The Chinese bitter melon, also known as balsam pear and bitter cucumber, is a gourd that is similar in shape to a cucumber and grown in tropical climates. It is common in Asian and Indian cooking and as its name suggests, it has a bitter taste.

What is Lauki in Chinese?

In English, it can be called calabash gourd (with a rounded bottom) or bottle gourd (long and slender like the picture), in Chinese it is pu guo 蒲瓜 (pronounced poo gwa), and in other Asian countries it can be lauki, doodhi, or opo squash.

Can you cook and eat a gourd?

Gourds can be peeled and cooked in a variety of recipes, such as stuffed squash, curries and pumpkin pie.

Why are gourds not edible?

Ornamental gourds and hybrid garden squash should not be eaten. Some cucurbits are toxic and contain cucurbitacins, substances that are highly irritating and bitter.

Are calabash gourds edible?

It can be either harvested young to be consumed as a vegetable, or harvested mature to be dried and used as a utensil, container, or a musical instrument. When it is fresh, the fruit has a light green smooth skin and white flesh.

How do you eat Chinese bitter melon?

Cooked more like a vegetable than a fruit, bitter melon is a common ingredient in Indian stews and curries, Japanese and Chinese stir-fries, sauteed Filipino dishes and fried snacks. It also can be hollowed out and stuffed with ground meat and spices like squash, be steamed or pan-fried.

What does Chinese bitter melon taste like?

Bitter melon has a crunchy husk, like a green pepper, and a watery texture, like a cucumber. But it’s weedy, alkaline taste is unlike any other like fruit or vegetable.

What is bottle gourd called in Chinese?

Are gourds toxic?

Part of the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes squash, watermelons and cucumbers, gourds are not toxic to humans, though those sold for decoration may need a good wash before being consumed.

What can I do with gourds?

Dried gourds may be left whole and used for display, or they may be cut, hollowed, and carved into items such as birdhouses, bowls, pitchers, or mugs, among others. These are just a few common uses for gourds. Some cultures use hollowed gourds for musical instruments, masks, or tools.