What Ayurveda speaks on Bottle Gourd
It is light dry and bitter in taste with a cooling potency. It helps in balancing Vata Pitta due to excess kapha. Bottle gourd has channel clearing action along with liver tissue re-generator, helping proper flow of the bile. It serves best for people with gouty arthritis, IBS, headache, and anorexia.
What modern science speaks on Bottle Gourd
Bottle gourd is a hydrating and nutritious vegetable and low in caloric value. This makes it excellent to introduce a meal plan for weight management. It is rich in fibers, Vit C, Vit B, Zinc, Sodium, and potassium. Due to its cooling effect, it promotes good sleep.
Tribal knowledge on Bottle Gourd
Indigenous culture all over the world has used gourd during fever related to liver such as obstructive jaundice to clear channels and cause either purgation or emesis. It is a popular routine to use fresh juice in the morning to empty stomach to reduce weight, improve digestion, induce proper bowel movements and also for clearing worm infestations.
Ingredients for Bottle Gourd soup
- 1 Bottle gourd peeled and chopped into cubes.
- 1 Carrot peeled and chopped into small pieces.
- Coconut cream 2 tsp
- Conut milk ¼ cup
- Water or bone broth or any organic vegetable stock 2 cups
- Ghee/ Oil: 2 tsp
- Salt minimum use
- Fennel powder ½ tsp
- Coriander powder ½ tsp
- Pomegranate powder ½ tsp
- Turmeric ¼
- Fresh ginger a small piece
- Black pepper
- Lemon juice: 2 tsp
- Kasturi Methi/ dried Fenugreek leaves: handful.
Method to cook Bottle Gourd soup
- Step 1: Rinse and Peel the Gourd and carrots. Cut it into small pieces.
- Step 2: Take pressure cooker; Add water or bone broth + ghee 2 tsp and all spices. Whistle 2-3 times.
- Step 3: Let it cool. Make a puree in a food processor or grinder.
- Step 4: Take a pan, warm it. Add the puree + coconut cream or milk. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Step5: Add dried fenugreek leaves+ lemon juice and black pepper. Cover it for 1-2 more minutes.