Gourds can you eat

The simple answer? Pretty much like less-tasty squashes—definitely more bitter. In some cases, they can have a pseudo-zucchini flavor as zucchinis are actually squashes, if you didn't know. The trick to eating gourds, if you want to do that in the first place, is eating them before they are fully "ripe. Younger gourds will be be softer, more malleable, and easier to cut into. The longer you wait, the tougher and more bitter your gourd will be. But it doesn't really matter which kind you decide to eat, to be honest.

You are going to want to treat them like any other squash. Peel the skin—the skin will often be super bitter, so you'll probably want to get rid of as much of it as possible—then scoop out the flesh inside, which is the part you want to eat. From there on out, it's pretty much up to you. You are definitely going to want to cook them, either in boiling water for 20 minutes, or in your oven for about an hour at degrees. You can add them to stews, soups, curries, pastries, or even just eat them raw though to be honest that probably won't taste great.

Chebotar recommends a drizzle of olive oil at the bottom of the baking sheet or pan before placing the gourd on it. Bake the gourd at degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 50 minutes depending on the type and size of the gourd.

Once the shell has softened and the gourd is cool enough to handle, remove the outer shell with a sharp knife. Some people carefully peel the gourd's beautiful shell to use it as a bowl or decoration. It's not meant to be eaten and can be discarded or composted. Once the shell is removed, slice the gourd in half, revealing the spongy center. Then, scoop the spongy center that's usually filled with seeds.

The flesh of certain gourds is the edible part, and it may need to be cooked for longer once the shell is removed. Cook the pieces by boiling, steaming, roasting or baking them. They can also be incorporated into various recipes.

Chebotar recommends baking the pieces at F for 20 to 30 minutes or until they are slightly browned. Squash recipes are the perfect introduction to eating gourds. Squash is low in fat and calories yet full of flavor. It's a versatile food that can be used in soups, stews, chilis and more. Mix it with red curry paste, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, and fish sauce for an authentic Thai-style curry.

Like squashes, gourds also house hundreds of seeds, which can be roasted. Oringer suggests toasting gourd seeds and cooking them like risotto with chicken or vegetable stock. Add in garlic, onions, and Parmesan for an autumn dish that will warm you from the inside out.

Similarly, keep an eye out for small pumpkins. With the wide variety of gorgeous edible squash out there, Dumas suggested rethinking your selection of decorative gourds. Go support a local farm stand, buy some beautiful pumpkins and delicatas, display them thoughtfully in your home and then move them into a basement or a cool closet somewhere and enjoy them throughout the winter.

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