Description of the chemical composition of the Kiwano fruit, what nutrients it contains and how they affect the body. Can they harm a person and what will happen in this case. How to cook them correctly so that everything turns out delicious. What you didn't know about African cucumber yet. Kiwano has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, soothing, cleansing, wound healing and immunomodulatory properties, but even then it cannot replace ordinary melon or cucumber.
Harm and contraindications to the use of Kiwano
The only strict contraindication is the individual intolerance of the African cucumber, which is very rare.
It should be used with caution if you are allergic to citrus fruits, pumpkin, zucchini and bananas. Due to the abundant water content, you should be careful with kidney diseases - the presence of microliths, pyelonephritis, renal failure. In case of overeating, bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, and colic in the navel may occur.
It is necessary to limit the use of Kiwano for the following problems:
- Gastritis … With him, in no case should you eat raw and even more fried seeds of fruits that irritate the gastric mucosa and provoke the development of ulcers.
- Inflammation of the mouth … This applies to tonsillitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis. In such diseases, the juice and pulp of the fruit, which contain a lot of fiber, will prevent the restoration of lymph outflow.
- Colitis … Here you need to give up pickled and canned pulp, which increases the production of hydrochloric acid. This is highly likely to lead to the development of duodenal ulcers. That is why you can only eat raw, fresh fruits.
- Hypotension … This disease is characterized by chronically low blood pressure, 100 x 60. In this case, the head is constantly spinning, weakness and tingling in the limbs are felt.
Due to its varied composition, the benefits of Kiwano are much more noticeable than its harm.
Kiwano recipes
If there are no contraindications for eating kiwano, then mostly African cucumber is eaten in its pure, raw form, but it turns out quite interesting in combination with milkshakes, yoghurts, and creams. It will become a worthy decoration for ice cream, cheese mass, salads. It is an excellent ingredient for making soups, cereals, and various side dishes. The fruit goes well with vegetables, berries, meat and fish products. Delicious sauces, drinks, desserts, compotes and even jams are prepared from it. He calmly tolerates conservation and pickling, heat treatment.
Pay attention to the following recipes:
- Soup … Clean 5 pieces first. kiwano - remove the peel and take out the seeds, after which you need to knead them with a crush. Then add a little water and beat the mixture with a blender until the lumps are completely dissolved. Then strain it with cheesecloth, you only need juice, the cake can be thrown away. It should be cooked over high open heat for 3-4 hours, stirring with a spoon to avoid burning. Add chopped smoked bacon (150 g), pork ribs (250 g), chicken (320 g) and freshwater fish (2-3 medium-sized pieces) to the finished broth. Fresh catfish or pike are perfect here, which need to be gutted, washed and cleaned of scales. The last ingredient is raw squids, they will need about 300 g, which are also put in the broth, salted, pepper and flavored with garlic to your liking. The dish is boiled for another hour, after which it is sprinkled with dill and turned off.
- Sherbet … Squeeze juice from 3 peeled oranges, strain it and immediately combine with cherry liqueur (2 tablespoons), pineapple yogurt, preferably homemade and not very fatty (150 g), and condensed milk (180 g) or cream in such the same amount. Put the bowl with the mass in a cool place overnight, after covering it with gauze folded in 2-3 layers. In the morning, add the pulp of 3 Kiwano fruits, stir the mixture and send to the freezer for a day. In the first 2-3 hours, beat it with a whisk or mixer, this will avoid the formation of lumps. The next day, remove the sherbet from the refrigerator, arrange in glasses, garnish with cream and serve chilled. Dessert can be decorated with slices of the main fruit or avar.
- Sauce … You need to wash and peel Lime (2), Kiwano (1) and Lemon (1). All this should be passed through a meat grinder and squeezed out with gauze. You only need juice, to which you should add salt and pepper to taste, a little garlic pulp, 1 tsp. mustard and olive oil (1, 5 tablespoons). The resulting composition must be boiled and sent to cool in the freezer. The prepared sauce is used as a marinade or additive to meat and fish dishes. It gives them an exotic flavor and pleasant aroma.
- Pancakes … Cut 2-3 pieces in half. kiwano, remove the seeds from them and scoop out all the pulp with a spoon. Then rub it on a fine grater, combine with a pinch of salt, chopped dill (2-3 branches), garlic pulp (2-3 cloves). Next, beat 1-2 eggs into the mass, stir it and, picking up the dough with a spoon, extinguish half a teaspoon of soda with vinegar, put it on a hot and poured pan with vegetable oil. Fry the pancakes until golden brown and expand in volume. After that, remove them from the pan, place them neatly on a large plate and top with heavy homemade cream.
- Stuffed eggs … They will need 6 pieces, which need to be boiled, peeled and cut into two parts. Next, just take out the yolk and instead put the kiwano pulp (1-2 pcs.), Twisted in a meat grinder or chopped on a grater. Then garnish with sour cream and parsley.
Note! Horned melon has quite a few seeds that are very inconvenient to get out. It is not necessary to do this at all, since they are quite edible and quite soft.
Interesting facts about Kiwano
This exotic fruit got its name by combining the words "kiwi" and "banana", which it tastes like. It was invented in New Zealand. In Malta, South Africa, England and Australia, it is better known as African melon or horned cucumber.
Compared to other members of the Pumpkin family, this one is more resistant to diseases and pests in the garden. This plant is also distinguished by the fact that it gives a good harvest. Perhaps that is why it began to be actively cultivated in Israel, Bulgaria, Italy, and the United States.
For cultivation in the climatic zone of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, conventional varieties were not suitable, so the breeders bred a special species, "Green Dragon". It quickly took root and spread in the Crimea and the Caucasus, where the weather is warmer. He was chosen by the inhabitants of Siberia, who rather successfully cultivate this plant in greenhouses.
When choosing fruits, you should pay attention to their size - they should not be more than 15 cm in diameter. Large fruits may indicate that they have been "stuffed" with chemistry to accelerate growth and ripen faster. Their peel is always firm and elastic, with mild thorns, and the color is deep orange. Pale flesh is an indication that the product is spoiled. Its surface should be free of mold, stains and integrity violations.
African cucumber can be stored outside the refrigerator, under room conditions, for no more than three days, after which it begins to turn black and smell unpleasant. In the case of low temperatures, it will be suitable for consumption throughout the week.
Most often, unripe fruits are sold on the market, which must be placed on the windowsill for 3-5 days before cooking. Since they are pricked, they work with them with gloves.
The peel is not used in cooking due to its coarseness and hardness, but the seeds are very tasty, it is customary to both fry them and eat them raw. The "shell" of an African cucumber is an excellent decorative element - flowers are placed in it, like in a vase. It is also an excellent "dish" for cocktails.
Watch a video about Kiwano fruit:
Given that Kiwano recipes are not very diverse, these fruits can hardly be called the most interesting, healthy and simply necessary. It is quite possible to do without them in the kitchen, but such an exotic product for its unusual appearance has every right to appear on the table at least once. This will definitely surprise the guests and allow you to add bright colors to the standard and sometimes so annoying menu!