This week I am going to share my recipe for preparing a white curry from smooth sponge gourds (niyang vetakolu). You may recall that last week I showed you how to make scrubbing pads from dried gourds of this variety. The main difference between the commonly available sponge gourds known as ‘ridged gourds’ and this variety is that these have a smooth exterior as seen in this photograph: |
However, there is another difference in the sense that these gourds are generally not cultivated as a crop. They grow more or less on their own without any additional fertilizer or care by farmers. Therefore, smooth sponge gourds are an excellent choice for those who prefer to eat organic produce. What’s more, these gourds contain a lot of fibre, making it yet another excellent reason for adding them to your lunch-time menu! I should mention that you may find it a little difficult to purchase these at markets and supermarkets in Sri Lanka, since they are not cultivated commercially. However, you may be able to buy them at markets selling organically grown vegetables. The alternative is to grow your own smooth sponge gourds. This can be done very easily, as the vines require minimum care and can be trained to trail a metal wire or chain link fence. Another easy method is to plant the seeds at the foot of a papaw tree. The vine will wind itself around the trunk of the papaw tree and grow effortlessly. If you would like to grow your own smooth sponge gourds, contact me via e-mail. I have packeted seeds from my village garden’s gourds and I can make arrangements for you to receive a packet. Now for the smooth sponge gourd recipe! To view the recipe, click on the link below: Beeta’s Smooth Sponge Gourd Recipe To save the recipe to your computer or laptop for later use, right-click on the page and click on ‘Save image as’. If you wish you can also take a printout once you save the image. Enjoy! |