gherkins are the abundant prickly fruits, round
and about 1 in/2 cm long, of yet another
African relative.
Bitter Gourds Bitter gourds have long been
prized in Asia for a trait that’s considered a
defect in cucumbers, the presence of bitter
cucurbitacins. There may be good reasons to
cultivate a taste for cucurbitacins, because
recent studies have found that they may help
slow the development of cancers. Bitter
gourds are pale green, with an irregular, warty
surface. They’re usually eaten while
immature, sometimes after an initial
blanching to remove some of the water-
soluble cucurbitacins, and are either stuffed or
combined with other ingredients, which
moderate the bitterness. Mature fruits contain
a red, sticky, sweet material that covers the
seeds and is sometimes eaten.
Bottle Gourds Bottle gourds or calabashes
are most often allowed to mature and then