Cucumber balsam , also known as cracked cucumber or bitter cucumber, is an annual climbing vegetable originating from China. Its fruit slightly resembles cucumbers and is rich in nutrients. In Poland, balsam can be grown in the ground, although we will get a much better yield from growing in a foil tunnel. Find out more about theproperties of balm , see whatcultivating cucumber balmin the garden and try the best knownrecipes for balm dishes
Fruits of cucumber balsam
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Cucumber balm - nutritional and healing properties
Cucumber Balsam(Momordica charantia) is a climbing plant that produces slender stems up to 3 m long that climb and twine around supports thanks to the strong sticking tendrils. The edible parts of the lotion are its leaves, young shoots and seeds, but most of all its fruit is eaten.The fruits of the cucumber-likeare oblong, green, slightly similar to cucumbers, but their skin is much more wrinkled, and the tips of the fruits are sharp on one side. They grow up to 18 cm in length. It is worth taking an interest in them because of their interesting taste andvaluable nutritional properties.
For food purposes, the balm fruits are picked unripe while they are still green , and as they mature, they first turn yellow, then orange, and finally burst, releasing white or brown seeds.Cucumber balsam fruits are characterized by a low content of sugarsand are rich in potassium, iron, vitamins A, C, E, K and the whole complex of B vitamins. The healing properties of cucumber balmare used in Indian folk medicine as a treatment for diabetes. They contain an insulin-like compound that helps regulate blood sugar levels.
cucumber balsam - cultivation
Balsamka is a vegetable with high heat requirements.Growing balm in the ground is possible , but growing this vegetable in a foil tunnel will allow you to get a much higher yield, and fruiting can be extended until autumn.
In the tunnel, the lotion seeds are sown at the end of April , placing them 1 cm deep. They need a temperature of at least 13 ° C to germinate. Plants are led on a string (similar to melons), removing every other side shoot. The requiredtreatments in the cultivation of cucumber balmare primarily: watering, fertilizing and removing weeds. They are performed in the same way as in the cultivation of cucumbers.
The fruits of cucumber balsam appear 6-8 weeks after sowing One plant produces 5-8 fruits, but if we want them to grow well, it is worth limiting their number to 4-5 pieces. Depending on the variety, they may be green, less often white or yellow.We collect them before they are even ripe, when they reach a length of 10-15 cmIt is worth leaving them for longer only if we want to obtain seeds. Then they will grow up to 30 cm in length, and finally break into 3 parts, releasing seeds.
Cucumber balsam
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When deciding tocultivate cucumber balmwe must remember to prepare pole-like supports and wrap the plants around these poles, as well as provide some side shields so that the plants are not knocked over by the wind. On the beds , the seeds of the cucumber patch are sown in the nest every 30-50 cm , then leaving the strongest seedlings. You can also cultivate without supports, allowing the balsam shoots to spread flat on the ground, but then the cultivation requires more space (plants should grow 1 m apart), and the fruits rot very easily (this can be prevented by placing wooden boards under them, separating the fruit). from the ground).
Diseases and pests attacking cucumber balmare mainly: cucumber mosaic, cucumber mildew, aphids and spider mites. As you can see, the dangers are similar to those for cucumbers and you need to protect the lotion in a similar way. Unfortunately, there are no protective measures registered in the cultivation of balm, so in amateur crops it is worth using preventive measures to prevent diseases and generally strengthen plants, such as Biosept Active. It is also worth using the well-known ecological yeast spray for cucumbers.
cucumber balm - recipes
If we already havefruits of cucumber balm from our own cultivationin the garden or we just managed to buy a few such fruits in the store, it is worth learning how to prepare them so that they taste the best.
The use of cucumber lotion fruitis quite wide. They can be eaten raw, baked, boiled, fried, added to salads, meats and fish.First, however, you have toget rid of the bitterness in them , which we will achieve thanks to blanching. For this purpose, the sliced pieces (the center must be removed) are briefly put into boiling, s alted water (4 teaspoons of s alt per liter of water) and brought to the boil again. Then it is pulled out and quenched with cold water. You can also simply s alt the slices and after 30 minutes pour off the water, following the same procedure as when preparing cucumbers for the cucumber salad.
Recipes using cucumber balmare not very popular, but you can find some interesting suggestions. We recommend a balm stuffed with pork.
Stuffed lotion
Ingredients:a few balsam fruits, 150g ground pork, soy sauce, s alt, ground pepper, a clove of garlic, water.
Preparation:Wash the balsam fruits, cut their ends on both sides and cut them crosswise into 3 parts. We hollow out the center of each part, removing the seeds and the arils.Chop the garlic and mix it thoroughly with the minced pork, s alt and pepper. Then we stuff the balsam fruit with this. However, be careful not to fill the stuffing too much, because the fruit reduces its volume during cooking. Then pour a liter of water into the pot and cook. When the water boils, add the stuffed lotion and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Then cook for about 30 minutes. The dish is ready when the balsam fruit turns yellowish and softens. It is served hot with rice.
