Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Cool as a cucumber

Cucumber has medicinal properties and is used for beauty treatments too

HEALTHY AND TASTY Eat it either raw or cooked photo: k. Ananthan

A climber thought to be indigenous to India, which is eaten either raw (fresh) or cooked, originated in the foothills of the Himalayas, where it used to grow wild. But in the last 3,000 years it has been found all over India. It was later introduced to different European countries. Cucumber is long and cylindrical in shape with firm watery pale green flesh, which is crisp, cool and at times slightly bitter in taste. It's fine skin is shiny and usually smooth, but the colour is normally dark green or whitish green.

Varieties of cucumber

The cucumber has several varieties. It is classified into two types: Hothouse cucumber grown exclusively in green houses. Ridge, which is cultivated either in the undercover or in the open field, differ in size, shape and shade, which makes a lot of difference to the way it tastes.

Nutritional facts

It is a fruit which contains a large amount of water — 96 per cent. It has a low calorific value — 12 calories per 100 gm. But it has some minerals such as vitamin A and C. The cucumber should be eaten as fresh as possible, when tender. It is often peeled before eating since the skin tastes bitter. To improve the flavour and make it easily digestible, it is salted. But salt softens cucumber and makes its flesh less aromatic. The cooking to eating time should be less so that it does not become watery.

Medicinal facts

Cucumber is mainly used in bringing down the temperature of a wild fever and also used to treat skin infections. It is mostly used in herbal beauty products.

The most popular soup made with cucumber is gazpacho, which is of Spanish origin. This requires a minimum effort and ingredients.

Ingredients

Cucumber - 2
Ripe tomatoes (deseeded) - 3
Onion sliced -1
Red pepper (deseeded) - 1
Day-old bread slice - 2
Olive oil - 4 tbsp
Garlic (peeled) - 4 cloves
Salt to taste
White pepper powder - half tsp
Cold water - 300 ml
Fruit vinegar - 3 tbsp
Method

Soak the bread in little water, salt and vinegar. Blend together the soaked bread, tomatoes, red pepper, cucumber, garlic, pepper powder with little water to the consistency of a fine paste. Add a few drops of olive oil and mix well. Add little cold water to the above mixture and blend to the desired consistency. Bring a balance between olive oil, vinegar and salt. You could alter the taste to your liking and check the seasoning. Store in the freezer and serve cold with garlic-crushed croutons.

HRUDANANDA BEHERA

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail