Snake Gourd: The Five-Foot Thai Vine Vegetable

Snake Gourd — บวบงู (buap-ngu) — Trichosanthes cucumerina.

Left on the vine it curls into a pale, snakelike rope that can hang five feet off the trellis. Picked young, the flesh cooks soft and mild, soaking up whatever broth it sits in. Thai kitchens slice it into gaeng liang soup, or fry it with beaten egg. It carries fiber, potassium, calcium and a little iron, and the part on your plate is the young, tender fruit.

Snake gourd is a light, brothy vegetable — it soaks up whatever it simmers in, so it lands in curries and clear soups. Pick it young, though: the mature fruit turns bitter and stringy, and its soft red pulp is best left off the plate.

Buap Pad Khai — ผัดบวบใส่ไข่ (pad-buap-sai-kai)
Gaeng Liang — แกงเลียง (gaeng-liang)

Nutrition data: Badejo et al. 2016, Prev Nutr Food Sci 21(2):90-96 (PMCID PMC4935247)

Food and nutrients

Rich in: fiber, potassium, iron, calcium

Research context

In diabetic rats, a snake gourd extract lowered blood sugar and raised stored glycogen — Indian J Pharmacol, 2008

Sources

Source: Kirana H, Srinivasan BP. Antihyperglycaemic effect of Trichosanthes cucumerina in diabetic rats. Indian J Pharmacol 2008;40(3):103-6. PMID:20040935; DOI:10.4103/0253-7613.42301. Phenolic, antioxidant and dietary-fiber analysis of plant parts (in vitro): International Journal of Food Science 2016. PMID:27995134.

Narration transcript

Opening

Left on the vine, snake gourd curls into a pale, ghostly rope that can dangle five feet off the trellis. Snake gourd — บวบงู, buap-ngu. Picked young, the flesh cooks soft and mild, soaking up whatever broth it sits in, sliced into gaeng liang soup or fried with beaten egg. The part on your plate is that young, tender fruit.

Buap Pad Khai (ผัดบวบใส่ไข่)

For buap pad khai, Thai cooks stir-fry the young gourd with garlic, then fold in beaten egg so it sets around the soft slices. Eat it over rice with a little fish sauce and white pepper.

Gaeng Liang (แกงเลียง)

Drop the young gourd into gaeng liang, the peppery mixed-vegetable soup, where it softens and drinks up a broth built on shallot, white peppercorn and shrimp paste. Serve it brothy with rice.

Nutrition summary

Picked young, this brothy gourd is surprisingly high in vitamin C, over half a day's worth, plus vitamin A and fiber.

Fiber

Fiber adds bulk to meals and can help with fullness.

Potassium

Potassium helps with normal fluid balance and muscle function.

Iron

Iron is part of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in your blood, and it supports normal energy metabolism.

Calcium

Calcium is needed to maintain normal bones and teeth, supports normal muscle and nerve function, and contributes to normal blood clotting.

Closing

Snake gourd is a light, brothy vegetable — it soaks up whatever it simmers in, so it lands in curries and clear soups. Pick it young, though: the mature fruit turns bitter and stringy, and its soft red pulp is best left off the plate. Follow Longevity Biome, and LIKE this video for regular updates.

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