Wax Gourd-Pousinika

The wax gourd, also called ash gourd, white gourd is a vine that bears large fruit, eaten as a vegetable when mature. The fruit is fuzzy when young. The immature gourd, which has a melon shape, has thick white flesh that is sweet when eaten. By maturity, the fruit loses its hairs and develops a waxy coating, giving rise to the name wax gourd, and providing a long shelf life.

Wax gourd has a mild to bland flavour and juicy texture a little like a zucchini. It is always cooked, as the inside comprises of firm white matter similar to a melon in many respects. However, it is extremely hard and not palatable in its natural form.

Storing and Preparation

Wax gourd if stored naturally in dry conditions can be kept for a long time. What contributes to its longevity is the chalky wax on its skin which prevents micro-organisms from attacking it and preserves it. However, once the inside has been exposed to air, it keeps badly. Even with using refrigerators and sealing, it may not last one week. Therefore if you buy a whole one, then you need to plan using it all quite quickly.

Choose full-sized, mature fruit with a hard, unblemished rind.Cut away all of the hard rind and cut into medium pieces before cooking. It cooks very quickly and easily, so be sure to not overcook it. If overcooked, ash-gourd almost dissolves in the water. Because it has a bland taste it absorbs well the flavors of whatever spices you use; in Seychelles it is mainly used in soups and curries.

Wax gourd is loaded with nutrients. It’s an excellent source of vitamin B1 (thiamine), a good source of vitamin B3 (niacin), and vitamin C. It is also rich in many minerals like calcium. Its high potassium content makes this a good vegetable for maintaining a healthy blood pressure.

The name poussinika is derived from the Tamil chambai pushinikkai or kalyana pushinikkai .