In a recent family discussion, the elders pointed out how the children in the family would not always like their vegetables. They even gave suggestions, to the next generation of parents, on some creative ideas so that their young ones appreciate and consume more vegetables and fruits as part of their diet.

I argued with my mother and reminded her that I was an obedient child and claimed that I would eat everything that was put on my plate. In response, she listed a number of foods that I complained about as a child. The list had a number of vegetables and apple gourd was on top of this small list.

Let me tell you, though, that my dislike for apple gourd was based on rather flimsy reasons, which persisted well after my teens.

One of the reasons was the pejorative use of Tinda, which is Urdu for apple gourd. Students at our school would tease and mock a fellow student by calling him tinda. Similarly, one of my neighbours, whom I never liked, was referred to as Miss Tinda, as she would buy large quantities of it from the vegetable sellers. Due to this negative association, I started believing that apple gourds were bad.

The apple gourd or tinda often gets a bad rap in popular perception. In reality, it is one of the most healthy vegetables to consume

The way the vegetable was cooked in my house didn’t help either. It was prepared in the lightest of watery gravy, to cater to the needs of my grandmother. It included two to four halves of apple gourds per serving, negligible spices and minimal oil, a small piece of meat within and served with a chapaati, or flat bread of whole wheat.

For me, the recipe and taste suggested that it was a meal for patients with gastric issues. I would realise much later that it was one of the healthiest food options in our local gravy-based cuisine.

Compared to fried food items and hydrogenated oil-based, protein-rich meals, the light apple gourd meal — in thin, watery gravy — is one of the most refreshing and relaxing meal options to consume. And, yes, it is extremely beneficial for almost all categories of patients as well.

The result of the negative association was that apple gourd was one of the last gourds to be consciously grown and planted in our small backyard. Its scientific name is praecitrullus fistulosus and it is also referred to as Indian round gourd, round melon, Indian squash and Indian baby pumpkin. Needless to say, this vegetable is more famous in the Subcontinental region and relatively unknown in the developed world.

The vegetable, when immature, has white, softer edible seeds. It is also the time of the vegetable’s growth lifecycle when it is harvested commercially, as its seeds are consumed when they are soft and white.

However, the seeds that are used for growing apple gourd vine are neither soft nor white in colour. These seeds become hard-shelled and black in colour as the vegetable matures. The blackened seeds are then scooped out from the apple gourd and kept aside in dry conditions.

Since it is a summer crop, the best time to sow apple gourd seeds is when the winters have just subsided. The ideal temperature for the germination of the seeds would be around 25 to 30 degrees Celsius.

It is better to opt for a seedling tray or to sow the seeds in paper cups. A potting mix made up of nursery soil, along with any organic compost in limited quantities, can be used to work as a potting medium for the seeds.

Since the seeds are hard-shelled, one may go for any of the seed stratification techniques. The seeds can be kept in a refrigerator or submerged in water overnight, before the actual day of sowing seeds. Alternatively, the hard shell could be treated and scarred mechanically, so that the outer coat of the seed can easily be broken by the germinating plant.

When sowing the seeds in soil, it is necessary to place it at a depth that is at least twice the length of the seed. It is believed that the pointy, narrow end of the seed should be facing upwards. However, I prefer to place the seeds horizontally flat.

One key factor when sowing seeds till germination is to ensure that the soil remains moist throughout and never dries up. Depending upon the seed quality, watering protocol and temperature, the seeds are likely to germinate within one to two weeks of sowing.

In my upcoming articles, I will elaborate further on managing the apple gourd plant, from being a seedling to a mature creeping vine, the eventual harvest procedure, the fertiliser needed at different stages and the likely pest attacks, with their remedies as well. I will also touch upon the health benefits of consuming this wonderful vegetable as well.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, June 23rd, 2024