Fhak Keejow | ฟักเขียว | Benincasa hispida
Family: Cucurbitales - Genus: Benincasa
The wax gourd is grown in the organic vegetable garden of the Thai Child Development Foundation.
Benincasa hispida, the wax gourd, also called ash gourd, white gourd, winter gourd, tallow gourd, ash pumpkin, winter melon, Chinese preserving melon, is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable when mature.
It is the only member of the genus Benincasa. The fruit is covered in a fuzzy coating of fine hairs when young. The immature melon has thick white flesh that tastes sweet. By maturity, the fruit loses its hairs and develops a waxy coating, giving rise to the name wax gourd.
The wax coating helps to give the fruit a long shelf life.
The melon may grow as large as 80 cm in length. It has yellow flowers and broad leaves.
The taste is rather bland.
Wax gourd can be harvested the whole year through, but less in the rainy season.
THE PLANT
The wax gourd is an annual plant that grows as a trailing vine.
THE LEAVES
The hairy leaves are heart-shaped at the base and are typically palmately lobed.
THE FLOWERS
The solitary yellow flowers of the wax gourd are 8 to 10 centimeter wide and are unisexual.
THE FRUIT
The round or oblong fruits can reach up to 40 centimeter in length and are hairy when young.
Mature fruits are green with a whitish waxy covering and contain flat white seeds about 1centimeter long.
CULINARY USES
Like a living tin of food it can be kept on the shelf until all other food has been depleted. The literature claims it can be kept for two years,
Wax gourd is used in Thailand as an ingredient for curries, stir fries and soups. For example the soup served with Kao Man Gai. Click on the link of the Food Forest Kitchen Restaurant for the recipe.
NUTRITION
Wax gourd is loaded with nutrition. It contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin C. It also possess various minerals such as calcium, sodium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, manganese, copper, magnesium, selenium and potassium. It contains nearly 96% water.
TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL USE
NOTE: please take advice from a doctor if you are planning to use herbal medicine.
Wax gourd is used as a brain food to treat nervous disorders like epilepsy, paranoia, and insanity. In addition, it also is said to treats mental illness. They have alkaline temperament and has a cooling and neutralizing effect on stomach acids, they are used to treat digestive sicknesses like hyperacidity, dyspepsia, and ulcers.
It is also said to be effective in the treatment of diabetes, the juice of ash gourd is a a home remedy for peptic ulcers.
The gourd is also said to help in treating respiratory disorders like asthma, blood-related diseases, and urinary diseases like kidney stones.
Every single part of the fruit is considered useful and is used in treating several disorders.
Leaves of the gourd are simply rubbed on bruises which are proved effective, seeds are used to eject out intestinal worms.
The ash made by burning the rind and seeds are mixed with coconut oil and applied on hair to promote hair growth and to treat dandruff.
INTO THE WILD: a down to earth experience
For guests and visitors to Paksong we organize weekly tours "The Edible Forest" and Foraging weekends: Into the Wild. We work with local guides to take you in the jungle of Paksong. After foraging, we will cook a meal with the ingredients, using bamboo together with you!
Come and join and learn about the abundance of food that nature gives us!
INTO THE WILD!
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