The not-so exotic gourd vegetable — bitter, ivy, ridge and bottle varieties — is rich in nutrients and offers many health benefits. For instance, bitter gourd stabilises blood sugar levels, destroys parasites in the digestive canal, and cools the body (ideal on a hot summer day).

All gourds contain essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc which boost bone strength and density. They are also rich in minerals, which improve blood circulation and iron, which prevents anaemia, and aids digestion. Here are some easy-to-make gourd recipes:

Gourd salad

Ingredients

For the salad

+ 10 ivy gourds
+ 2 medium tomatoes
+ 1 pomegranate
+ ½ medium pineapple
+ 1 grapefruit

For the dressing

+ 2 tbsp olive oil
+ 1 tsp organic vinegar
+ Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation guide

+ Cook ivy gourd for around 8 minutes in water, to remove the raw taste. Allow the gourd to cool after boiling.
+ Remove the ends and slice the gourd. Keep aside.
+ Cut the tomato, remove the flesh of the grapefruit, cut pineapple into cubes, and deseed the pomegranate.
+ Mix all the ingredients for the salad.
+ Mix olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to make the dressing.
+ Drizzle dressing over the salad.

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