Comments on: Mini Gourd

By: Libitina

Libitina — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:31:00 +0000

I found this entry while researching Roman cooking. See, I have this cookbook of Apicius that has a whole section on a vegetable that in Latin is called cucurbitas. That’s the genus name for squash, but squash wouldn’t have been in Italy at the time. So another site claimed that this gourd was what was being called for. Now that I have seen your pictures of it cut open, I am dubious about the substitution of zucchini for the gourd in the recipes.

So – you were asking how to cook it. These recipes primarily call for boiling it (whole?) and then straining it (scooping it out and then separating the pulp from the seeds). And then he’d mix it with a sauce and sometimes add cornstarch to thicken.

By: malaykid

malaykid — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 21:40:00 +0000

must be the week coz i burnt my finger while frying kuih keria.
i love baked scallops. urs look so yummy.

By: Lrong

Lrong — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 06:39:00 +0000

Got here from Unkaleong’s blog… I planted this gourd last year and managed to harvest four of them… not very productive… the Japanese call them ‘omocha hyoutan’ or ‘toy gourd’… didn’t eat them… I had them all dried up, and will later put them up as decor…

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 23:33:00 +0000

I planted it in my front yard last year. Man the plant was huge, crawled over everything. And at the end, only 1 “hulu” became fruit :) It looks lovely hanging there, but pretty much useless. Eventually cut it up and tried to eat it raw, but it was tasteless.

…
aliko

By: Gazard

Gazard — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 14:14:00 +0000

Yaya, that is vine container leh. Not edible, at least i don’t dare to taste it.

By: Rasa Malaysia

Rasa Malaysia — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 04:52:00 +0000

SC – The thing is nothing seem edible inside the hulu…LOL.

Claude – yes, it should make a good instrument…I believe I have seen it made into a music instrument…from Borneo if I am not mistaken!

Precious Pea – actually, a nice serving bowl, probably for my Or Nee. Muahahaha.

Tummythoz – correct…I am sure it’s not edible because my aunt or mother never cooked them…LOL. If it’s edible, I am sure I have had it…even the cempedak seeds also I hentam. :P

Cooknengr – LOL. 葫芦收妖, that’s toooooo funny. Now I have to read the books you read. ;P

Kenny Mah – exactly, nature’s design…so curvy…LOL.

Aria – yes, it’s indeed a beautiful. It was small in real size so it was very very cute! :)

Lin – please ask your parents how they cook it…I think the only possibility is making soup…hehe. :)

Elmo – Maracas that is…I just need two so I can play samba. LOL. Too funny.

Tiga – I think you are right, probably it’s used by beggars in the Wu Xia books…hahahahahaha.

Simcooks – too creative…Er Hoo, you are correct. :)

By: simcooks

simcooks — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 00:54:00 +0000

Can tie 2 wires and make an er-hu (二胡)! “If music be the food of love; play on.” – Shakespeare

By: tigerfish

tigerfish — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 00:14:00 +0000

All along I thought it’s edible. In 武侠片, they are used to contain wine right? Anyway, looks too cute to eat. Can use as serving bowl for some soup or stir-frys. Also can use as part of table settings…put some flowers/leaves for table centerpiece…hee hee!
(Finally, uploaded the assam dish today!)

By: elmomonster

elmomonster — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 23:57:00 +0000

It looks like maracas — the musical instrument. Sorry. I have nothing to add, but I am also curious on what this is.

By: Lin

Lin — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 22:39:00 +0000

My parents sell vegetables back in Singapore. Once my mom brought this hu-lu gourd back home, it is definitely edible although I can’t recall how my mom cooked it. If it isn’t edible, I figured my parents wouldn’t be selling those in the market :)