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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2012 17:43:32 GMT -5
This superfood allegedly contains 20x as much vitamin A as carrots. This bitter gourd relative is said to make a person very ill, for several days, if the rind is eaten. Either plant may have anti malarial properties if used cautiously. Seeds were allegedly substituted for nux vomica. The edible portion is the oil sack, allegedly mild tasting and reminiscent of avocado. I understand the fruit comes into season around October, and is mainly used to color mochi -- a holday food, called xoi gac (sp?) An alternative use has been to fortify tomato sauce.  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GacThis requires a male and a female plant. One of ten seeds spouted. I ordered 20 seeds, but they were removed by customs, who placed a notice in the envelope. Hopefully, a replacement is on the way. Carrot and tangerine juice restored my strength when i had the flu, but I have also made a friendly acquaintance at an Asian market, who would sell these for me. I hope to propagate vines during the winter and plant them in the spring. |
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Post by castanea on Nov 5, 2012 20:40:22 GMT -5
I grew them about 5-6 years ago. They grow a lot like bitter melon does for me. Very very slow to get started and then they take forever to mature. Of about 10 seeds I had planted only 4 sprouted and two of them died. They don't like extremely hot dry summers. The other two plants were probably the same sex because I had no fruit set. The next year, one of the seeds that had not sprouted finally sprouted so I had one lone plant that year.
I have eaten them before and they have little to no taste and I don't need tons of vitamin A, so I lost interest in growing them.
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Post by blueadzuki on Nov 6, 2012 10:46:00 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2012 12:28:12 GMT -5
If I remember correctly, these were Indian folks, not fluent English speakers. Maybe, one of your Asian friends can give a more authoritative answer, if this is more familiar to their culture.
I've sampled just a couple of red arils (?) from an overripe bitter melon. This was perhaps unwise. I did not know at the time that the fruit becomes toxic, at the yellow-orange stage. I'm a sturdy person, and did not become ill. Will see if anything is written about it.
I appreciate references and check them out. Exotic Cactus Collection's seeds were my first attempt, in which only one out of 10 were viable. To be perfectly fair to them, I now realize the seeds were not bought in season, assumed to be October-ish.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2012 12:41:54 GMT -5
I must have guessed the correct search term, arils. www.juicingbook.com/vegetables/bittergourdmelon"Although in Traditional Chinese Medicine the seeds are used for various health problems, it is suggested that you do not juice the seeds. The seeds contain vicine which can trigger favism in those that are prone to this problem. While chances of you juicing the red aril of the seeds are slim to none, it is just worth noting that the red arils are reportedly toxic to children. Bitter gourd should not be juiced while pregnant. Due to the fact that bitter gourd is a detoxifying food, start slow and with a small amount. Otherwise, you possibly overwhelm your body, especially your liver. " cucurbitaceae.livejournal.com/8964.html"The seeds of the ripe fruit are covered in a red aril or fleshy seed cover. This part is sweet and can be sucked, but Do NOT EAT THE SEEDS They Are Poisonous." Just assuming that bitter melon and gac fruit are analogous, I would have expected the seeds and ripest rind to be poisonous, but not the arils. |
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Post by blueadzuki on Nov 6, 2012 17:16:21 GMT -5
I must have guessed the correct search term, arils. www.juicingbook.com/vegetables/bittergourdmelon"Although in Traditional Chinese Medicine the seeds are used for various health problems, it is suggested that you do not juice the seeds. The seeds contain vicine which can trigger favism in those that are prone to this problem. While chances of you juicing the red aril of the seeds are slim to none, it is just worth noting that the red arils are reportedly toxic to children. Bitter gourd should not be juiced while pregnant. Due to the fact that bitter gourd is a detoxifying food, start slow and with a small amount. Otherwise, you possibly overwhelm your body, especially your liver. " cucurbitaceae.livejournal.com/8964.html"The seeds of the ripe fruit are covered in a red aril or fleshy seed cover. This part is sweet and can be sucked, but Do NOT EAT THE SEEDS They Are Poisonous." Just assuming that bitter melon and gac fruit are analogous, I would have expected the seeds and ripest rind to be poisonous, but not the arils. Well that answers another question, I had wondered if people in China roasted the seeds of bitter melons as a snack (as the do with those of watermelons, winter melons and pumpkins) guess that is a definitive "no". |
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Post by circumspice on Nov 7, 2012 0:41:08 GMT -5
"GAC" is a close approximation of the sound I made when I tried to eat stinky tofu & a lychee. GAC!!!
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Post by blueadzuki on Nov 7, 2012 15:34:51 GMT -5
I must have guessed the correct search term, arils. www.juicingbook.com/vegetables/bittergourdmelon"Although in Traditional Chinese Medicine the seeds are used for various health problems, it is suggested that you do not juice the seeds. The seeds contain vicine which can trigger favism in those that are prone to this problem. While chances of you juicing the red aril of the seeds are slim to none, it is just worth noting that the red arils are reportedly toxic to children. Bitter gourd should not be juiced while pregnant. Due to the fact that bitter gourd is a detoxifying food, start slow and with a small amount. Otherwise, you possibly overwhelm your body, especially your liver. " cucurbitaceae.livejournal.com/8964.html"The seeds of the ripe fruit are covered in a red aril or fleshy seed cover. This part is sweet and can be sucked, but Do NOT EAT THE SEEDS They Are Poisonous." Just assuming that bitter melon and gac fruit are analogous, I would have expected the seeds and ripest rind to be poisonous, but not the arils. I managed to get my hands on a bitter melon with ripe sacs today (had to grab it out of a throw away box when the clear wasn't looking, bitter melons that far ripe are usually considered unsalable. On the train, i did a quick tongue touch (just a tongue touch, I'm not dumb enough to actually eat one without full and clear information they are edible. The touch I took was safe, as it is less than the amount I probably get by pulling seeds and eating my lunch at the same time (i.e. the amount left on my fingers) , and can confirm that, to my surprise it is true, the red bits ARE sweet. Given what a bitter melon tastes like I thought they might be bitter sweet (sweet, but with a bitter melons bitterness as well. But they aren't they are fully sweet, no bitterness at all. Looks like (assuming I can get unambiguos information) I may have found a use for another part. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2012 13:51:17 GMT -5
Very very slow to get started and then they take forever to mature. I have come to expect this from any seasonal plant, started from seed. I believe part of the problem is that seeds may go dormant, the longer they sit. I have been taking care to save seed in quantity, whenever possible, and I try get plants established, several months before they are actually intended to go into the ground. The next year, one of the seeds that had not sprouted finally sprouted so I had one lone plant that year. This encourages me to hold on to seeds, which have not outrightly rotted. As I grow exotics, even in the most ideal conditions, I am coming to believe that many of our most ordinary vegetables have been thoroughly developed for vigor, size, and productivity. I get the idea that this is like unexplored territory, which could be made into something better. To visit a forum, which discusses landraces, and so forth, has helped me to be patient. But, before I purchase seeds for growing, I intend to make a habit of asking every last salesman, whether they are guaranteed, and on what terms. I budget very carefully, have never come close to getting myself into financial trouble, but am tired of wasting money on what is, for all intents and purposes, defective merchandise. I appreciate my casual contacts, here, try to keep things courteous and punctual. But, I've encountered enough bad business on the www, that it should be reported. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2012 20:36:02 GMT -5
Very very slow to get started...The next year, one of the seeds that had not sprouted finally sprouted... Most of exotic_cactus_collection's seeds were intact, after a few months. These were my first 10. 1 has sent out a trace of roots, another has grown into an 8ft long vine. This extra long vine has fooled me into thinking the other seeds may have been faulty, but these are chunky, prehistoric looking things, like gears. I can see why they might take a long time to get started.  gac.kimjy.gnu.ac.kr/img/seed_size.pngMy order of 20 more seeds has come today, from fogus cyber shop. (I really wanted to make sure there would be males and females!) On the first attempt, they were intercepted by customs, as unidentified seeds. On the second attempt, they just write, "fruit seeds" -- not what kind. It is sent as registered mail this time, which I have to sign for. I have a big, red vicious dog sign on the front gate. The front door is propped open, so they can go in and out, without begging every 5 minutes. They are roaring at the mailman, who asks whether they are ok.  Our weather will slowly get colder and wetter, until late spring, early summer. Easily giving those gac 5 months to wake up. If the edge of the planter sits very high above the level of the dirt, it is often enough to shield them from the occasional, frozen wind. A vacant hot tub, with a couple of sliding glass doors on top, situated near south-facing, stucco wall, is not roasting but very tropical inside. Their feet will eventually be free to spread under rich, drip irrigated mulch. They will climb a fence, along sweet potatoes, passionfruit, and berries. On one side will be burning hot, white gravel, constantly reflecting light, back up at the foliage. On the other side is the shade of trees. So far, my other vines have done well on whichever side of the fence they like best. This year, a large Blue Hubbard even climbed into the trees, over the easement, causing a neighbor to feel unsafe. |
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