Ivy Gourd, aka Tendli (Marathi), Tindora (hindi), Kovaikkai (tamizh), is rich in betacarotene. sharing with you the link (http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2005/05/01/4276/ivy-gourd/) which tells about health benefits and its use in traditional medicine that I came across while surfing net.
I have seen the leaves used in blackening the blackboard in schools along with charcoal in olden days. It is a creeper which grows fast and yields a bulk quantity of the vegetable.
It is cooked in different methods to make different dishes and also makes a healthy soup when parboiled retaining its essential nutrients.
How to choose and pick ivy gourd? :- Ivy gourd if over ripen will turn red inside and the seeds will be hard & difficult to chew. This will spoil the recipe. Hence always pick the tender & slender ones which are nice green in colour avoiding the bigger & pale ones.
Ingridients :-
- Ivy Gourd - 1 cup
- Salt to taste
- Water
Procedure :-
- Wash and cut the ivy gourd into two.
- Add water and par boil it
- Strain, cool and grind to nice paste.
- Reheat it adding salt
- Using pepper is optional. I prefer it without pepper.
- A simple but healthy gourd soup is ready!
