APAD 075: Bitter gourd
Yes, they are edible. Despite their bitter taste, bitter gourds lowering blood sugar levels, rich in folate, Vit. C and are excellent sources of flavonoids such as beta-carotene and a lot more minerals.
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APAD 66: Ampalaya. Bow.
I have this ambitious goal of growing my food. A lot of my friends scoffed at the idea because not only that it is ambitious but also impossible since my husband and I live in a second floor (that’s the first floor for my Filipino readers) an apartment.
Well, I’m not the one to be dissuaded so easily. I planted seeds in pots. In the last quarter of 2012, I planted bitter gourd seeds in a big pot in our veranda and, well, needless to say, I am now enjoying the fruits of my labour. Pun intended.
See what I mean? In November, the lone ampalaya (bitter gourd) plant that survived amongst how many seeds I buried in the pot started flowering. By December, yellow flowers were blooming where some of them eventually turned into baby ampalayas. Not all of the baby ampalayas matured. A lot turned yellow, must be from the cool weather; but there are more flowers coming out every day.
I’m excited, of course.
Since the first week of 2013, I already picked four pieces of bitter gourd! Two already ended up in my tummy after I cooked them with monggo (mung beans), kalabasa (squash) and pork. The remaining two were picked only this morning 🙂 They’re smaller in size compared to the ones available at the market but they’re ampalaya nonetheless. What’s more, they’re basically organic. No pesticides, no nothing. I regularly water them every afternoon and dump my biodegrable stuff (mostly vegetable peelings) on that pot.
I know it’s not that much and it’s too early to boast but a girl has got to start from somewhere. It dawned on me: if I could grow ampalaya on pots from my apartment’s veranda, how much more if I have a small piece of land? Imagine that. I know, I’m so simple like a country lass, hahaha.
APAD 027: Yellow bitter gourd flower
Nice to be back blogging again. I was away due to flu – the second time I was down with it this year. Oh, the misery. Thank goodness it didn’t last long and I could go back to my regular routine, including updating this blog.
I went out to our veranda this morning and was surprised to see that my lone ampalaya (bitter gourd or bitter melon) vine is now bearing flowers!
Soon, these flowers will become bitter gourds. Hopefully, they don’t wither and fall off just like the first ones.
Bitter gourds are popular in most Southeast Asian countries, China, Taiwan and India. As the name suggests, it is bitter. Very bitter and has an acquired taste. When I was younger, I wasn’t a fan and I avoided it like a plague! Fast forward to present time. I’ve grown accustomed to the bitter taste. Once cooked properly, they can be very tasty. It is packed with lots of vitamins, too, including a component that acts as insulin to help reduce blood sugar levels.
To those who haven’t seen one, this is a bitter gourd:
Source: Google Image
APAD 358: Yellow bell?
Here’s a photo of a flower from our old garden.
Is this a yellow bell flower? I don’t know either.
A Silver Finish!
Certified!
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