If you make a list of foods suitable for summer, “white gourd” will definitely be on the list:
It not only helps to clear away heat, diuresis and dampness, it is often called “the first gourd in summer”, and even the name sounds refreshing.
Winter gourd is obviously ripe in summer, why not call it “summer gourd”? What kind of winter gourd tastes better?
Winter gourd is actually “summer gourd“
Wax gourd like temperature and heat resistance, mature in summer, in fact, it is “summer melon”. The reason why it is called wax gourd is that the white wax on the outer skin of wax gourd can protect it from overwintering and play a role in storage. It is often called “the first melon in summer”, and it is good in medicine and food.
Food nutrition
★ The water content is high. Every 100g edible part of wax gourd contains 96.9g water, which is higher than luffa and cucumber, and its energy is very low, only 10 kcal. It is rich in dietary fiber and has a strong sense of satiety, which helps to lose weight.
★ It’s rich in vitamins. Every 100 grams of wax gourd contains 16 mg of vitamin C, more than the content in tomatoes (14 mg / 100 mg).
★ High potassium and low sodium. Every 100 grams of wax gourd contains 57 mg of potassium and 2.8 mg of sodium, which is a good food for patients with kidney disease and hypertension who need to eat low salt food.
★ It contains wax gourd polysaccharide. Wax gourd contains wax gourd polysaccharide, which can increase body resistance; Wax gourd also contains propanedioic acid, a small molecule organic acid that can inhibit the conversion of carbohydrates into fat in the body, helping to control body weight.
Medicinal value
Wax gourd is a kind of vegetable for both medicine and food. It is recorded in Shennong’s materia medica classic that “it can make people have good color, replenish qi but not hunger, take it for a long time, lighten body and endure aging”.
★ clearing away heat and toxic material. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the nature of wax gourd is sweet, light and cool, which is beneficial to water, phlegm, heat and detoxification. It is suitable for swelling of limbs, summer heat and thirst, urinary tract infection, hemorrhoids and other diseases.
★ Remove heat and stop itching. Wax gourd can also be used for external use. It is mentioned in the ancient book qianjinfang that for the treatment of summer monthly heat rash, wax gourd can be sliced, mashed and applied on the local skin.
In addition to wax gourd meat, wax gourd skin and seeds also help keep healthy.
Wax gourd skin is rich in triterpenoids, vitamins and minerals, which is conducive to regulating blood lipid levels. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the skin of wax gourd is cool and sweet. It can return to the spleen and small intestine meridian, and has good diuretic and detumescence effect.
Wax gourd seeds contain more unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid, which can reduce cholesterol deposition and contribute to cardiovascular health. Wax gourd seed also has the effect of clearing lung and resolving phlegm, eliminating carbuncle and removing pus, which is suitable for people with phlegm heat.
Such White gourd has the best taste
The premise of delicious white gourd is to learn how to choose, remember the following 3 points to choose the best one.
Look at appearance
The whole white gourd should be well-proportioned and free of spots. Those with a layer of powdered hoarfrost on the skin are fresher.
The meridian and texture of the sliced wax gourd are rough, the texture is light green, and the taste is better.
Weighing in the hands
When buying, pick the heavier one in two white gourds of similar size. Such white gourds have enough water content and have less fleshy flesh, while lighter weight gourds are loose in content, insufficient moisture and more flesh.
Pressing with hands
Gently press the winter melon with your fingers. The hard quality is better; the softer ones may be stored for a long time or over-ripe.
You can also choose white gourds according to cooking methods:
Make white gourd cup, choose small white gourd. This kind of winter melon is suitable in size, the flesh is thin and juicy, the flesh is big, and the taste is fragrant.
Fried white gourd, pick the gourd with the dark green. The skin is smooth, the meat is thick, and it is not easy to get out of the soup when fried. It is the best choice for roasted winter melon. For the diced wax gourd, choose the ones with rough fleshy tendons, many seeds, and light green texture, which is not easy to make soup.
Making white gourd soup, choose with light green skin. This kind of winter melon is thin, soft and easy to taste, so it is suitable for soup. Be careful not to cook for a long time, usually after boiling for ten minutes.
“White gourd Recipe” by Nutrition Experts
How can winter melon not only conquer the taste buds, but also meet the nutritional needs of the human body? Try these 3 dishes below.
Old duck soup with white gourd
Raw materials: a clean duck, job’s tears, green wax gourd with skin, two honey dates, several pieces of fresh ginger, etc.
Cooking method
1. Soak the job’s tears in water for two hours. Remove the seeds and cut the wax gourd into one inch square pieces;
2. Cut the duck into small pieces like walnut size, blanch them with boiling water, skim the dirty foam, and then drain them;
3. Put oil in the pan, stir fry ginger slices, add duck pieces and stir fry for three or two minutes;
4. Add boiling water and bring to a boil. Add wax gourd after stewing for one hour, and then add seasoning after stewing for half an hour.
Wax gourd and duck soup not only complement each other in nutrition, but also can strengthen the spleen and stomach, eliminate edema, dispel heat and cool down.
Fried white gourd with mushrooms
Raw materials: mushroom, wax gourd, onion, ginger, garlic, pepper, etc.
Cooking Method:
1. Wash mushrooms and wax gourd and slice them;
2. Heat the oil in a wok until it is 50% hot. Stir in the wok with scallions. Add white gourd slices and mushrooms;
3. Add 350 ml salt and vegetable soup, cook until well done, add pepper;
4. Thicken with wet starch, close the thick soup, and serve in a pan.
Mushroom and wax gourd are food good for cardiovascular. They are suitable for people with high blood fat, high blood sugar and arteriosclerosis.
Fried white gourd with sea rice
Raw materials: white gourd, dried shrimps, green onion, ginger, salt, starch, cooking wine, etc.
Cooking Method:
1. Peel and remove the flesh of wax gourd, wash and cut into slices, marinate with a little salt for about 10 minutes, drain water and set aside;
2. Soak the dried shrimps in warm water, wash the green onion and ginger, and cut into pieces;
3. Put oil in the pot and heat it to 60%. Pour in slices of wax gourd. When the skin color of wax gourd is green, remove and drain the oil;
4. Heat the oil in the pan, add onion and ginger, add water, cooking wine, salt and dried shrimps,
5. Bring to a boil, add the wax gourd slices, then bring to a boil over high heat, and then simmer over low heat;
6. After the wax gourd is cooked and tasted, thicken the water starch and stir fry well.
This dish is delicious and nutritious. It helps to clear away heat and dryness, generate fluid and quench thirst. People who are suffering from excessive internal heat and feeling thirsty can have some. In addition, dried shrimps also helps to supplement calcium.
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