Pumpkin patch

Something new grew in my garden trough. Sturdy stem and whirly, curly tendrils with prickly palmate leaves and big golden blooms soon grew luxuriantly. I asked my Filipino domestic helper what it was. 'Pumpkin , I threw some seeds there,' was her reply.

Because it just grew and grew, it reminded me of  Jack's beans in the fairytale. Such a quick grower and a scrawling plant! Since it had taken root  and was showing  healthy signs of life, I didn't have the heart to cut short its life. Before long it was at the expense of  my tomato and long bean plants sharing the same trough. Very soon the vigorous growth  dwarfed  them in the same space.

Greenscape in my garden trough

Much green activity

The vines just curled and twisted along  the wire fencing. It grabbed  anything in its path, entangling itself among  the ixora bushes. Flowers appeared and they are extremely short -lived - just lasting for as short as a time as day. I learned to recognise the  male and female blooms which grew on the same plant. But the baby pumpkins began  aborting. Plop they fell to the ground before growing to a decent  ping pong ball size. We hung on, me for the love of the green canpy of leaves and the showy yellow flowers.

Swing it out and hook!

Feeling the prickly leaf

Before it unfurls

Love the bright  cheerful colour

Dying before the day is done

Looks so well sculptured

Hair so fine  - so well coated

In the meantime I heard groans of ' but we do not like to eat pumpkin!' When my sister in law heard about the promising start of a pumpkin harvest, she relished me with  the different ways of cooking ala Indian style. Of late, I have a Sri Lankan  domestic helper and she asked for  pumpkin. By then, my pumpkin patch  had long gone . Though hardy the  plant succumbed to pests. Methinks it didn't have a fighting chance as there was not much  love for it!!  That was the end of the pumpkin growing experiment. So off I went to the local mini market. I bought the smallest ball of pumpkin. Voila! In  her hands  the pumpkin  curry  won accolades! Noses that snubbed  pumpkins were surprised at the outcome. Everyone polished off the pumpkin curry and asked for more.

Promise of a pumpkin

Dangle the long bean

Come pluck me!

It's as if I had sprinkled some magic dust and uttered some right words, 'Grow! Grow! Grow!' The long beans are doing an amazing show - dangling free and showing off their long slender body. I 'm really happy 'coz a first attempt with the long bean has been giving me loads since 6 weeks ago. Previous planting with bitter gourd, brinjal and chillies have resulted in meagre harvest. The bitter gourd failed miserably. One by one, the sprouting young shapes inevitably turned yellow immaturely and on closer inspection , the black marks showed they were pricked by pesky insects. Now, it's sweet success - the long bean rulz!

Little 'twigs' emerge

Get hooked on me! Lengthening and growing in size too

Healthy looking long bean - no aphids want them. I wonder why as other plants are under attack.

Our harvest - part of a daily supply!

Some have been given away. Others have found their way into a variety of dishes. That's when the recipe books come out and the folks at home get to give their verdict on the new dishes. Thankfully, my live-in helper is just as enthusiastic as I am.

How many ways can the long bean be cooked? Indeed versatility is its name! Think of long bean in fried rice, dhall curries, egg dishes, stir fried with onions and chillies, in mixed vegetables, kerabu, gado-gado. Fresh from the pick, the young tender long bean ( test it -it snaps easily) can be eaten raw or blanched as ulam. Restauranteurs also favour using long bean alongside the brinjal and lady fingers in a certain assam fish curry. We tried a new recipe that calls for tempe besides prawn, vermicelli, taufu and sambal belachan cooked with long bean but it didn't get the nod as tempe ( fermented soya bean ) is somewhat an acquired taste.

The pods of this legume have dried naturally turning dark brown and the seeds inside harden. They await another round of planting. Long may the long bean flourish!

Ready for the second generation

My beanstalk twining and twining -no, I didn't buy the seeds from a man who was walking his cow to the market!! LOL

Green harvest

Among the greenery in my garden, there's actually stuff I grow to eat. The odd herbs and fruit trees somehow complete what I would like my garden to be.

Herbs are easy to grow in our climate. It's the choices that's bewildering. There's always the perennial question posed by my husband, ' Where is the space??' Tongue in cheek, I say, 'On my head!!'

The aromatic mint is easy enough to grow. Just tending and lightly brushing the plant is enough to give an unmistakeable minty aroma. It spreads by underground creepers. Many a time one needs only a few leaves. If there's none in one's garden, the supermarts sell a whole bunch and inevitably the rest go to waste. The shoot and tender leaves are eaten fresh as ulam or to flavour ulam dishes such as kerabu ( mixed salad) and nasi kerabu ( herbed rice).

For the asam laksa ( soured noodles), asam pedas ( hot-soured soup) and tom yam 'devotees', the daun kesum ( polygomnum minus) with its light aromatic smell , is a sure winner. Easily they can be mistaken for another weed! For a different flavour to the fried rice, cut some fresh and sprinkle on top. What a difference it makes !

My brother -in -law, Mus gave me a small variety of banana. He calls it 'pisang serendah'. Translated it means ' low banana' which is exactly what it is. At your waist height, the bananas when ripe, are easily plucked. They do not need to turn the ripe yellow one is accustomed to. Just a little hint of yellow and it's good enough to eat! And there's always the ready platters for the odd Indian banana leaf meal . Eat and dispose!

I've had bumper crops of the limau kasturi which is such a delight. Hot days means ice -cold quenching citrus drinks. Squueze them and mix them with syrup to your taste. Cheers! Cut in half, it is served with fried noodles and soups. For the sambal belacan, it is the juice that gives the tangy flavour.

I have only myself to blame for the scraggy guava tree. Previously the flowers were aborting.It's so important to give plants a good headstart.Thankfully Nature is all -giving! Finally fruits are appearing. Yes, the pollinators are busy. I asked the nursery man for the seedless variety and I hope to taste a sweet harvest.

Another favourite local fruit of mine is the starfruit which is full of Vit C. However, it'll be a while before any fruit develops. When it was Chinese New Year, I visited a nursery just outside my alma mater, Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus,Taiping. I was hard pressed to make a choice of fruit trees to plant. There's always the question of space. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will give me good quality fruits - all because it's the farmer's pick!

Home grown - Bitter Gourd

A small vegetable plot is coming along in my garden. It has got my nephew all excited when he saw the odd cucumber and bitter gourd growing to maturity.

'You should get rid of your plants and grow veggies. There's so much space to have your own home grown'. ' Hang on there!' I said. It sent a shockwave down my spine. 'This small plot will do.I can't imagine my garden turned into a farm,' I protested.

Along my backyard fence, there's twisting and twirling and curling of the climbers - cucumber and bitter gourd. Such beauty in the way the tendrils twine. The fence never looked so pretty in all these years.! Thank goodness, I was advised not to be stingy feeding my plants. Admittedly, they were a bit skinny to start off and it worked wonders with extra helpings of nutrients. To think they were screaming ' feed me! feed me!' and I was such a 'kedekut'!

Bitter gourd, the wrinkly looking melon ,is ridged and tapered. I know it as 'pava aki', in Tamil, as I've heard my mother-in-law say it. Recently, with the fuits of labour, there's more than the usual pava aki to eat. It hadn't been a family favourite for its bitter taste. But at times, we've got to surprise ourselves by trying something new. Guess what? we've enjoyed the new dishes. Here goes one, Indian-style, to share with everyone:

Bitter Gourd : 800g, halved lengthways, pith removed and thinly sliced across
Salt 1 1/2 tsp
Tumeric powder 1 1/2 tsp
Cooking oil for deep frying
Skinned split black lentils (urad dhall) 1 tsp
Black mustard seeds 1 tsp
Onion 1, large, peeled and finely chopped
Curry leaves 2 sprigs, stems discarded
Coriander powder 1 tsp

Rub bitter gourd with salt and tumeric all over and set aside for 20 minutes.

Deep fry bitter gourd in hot oil until golden brown and crispy. Drain on absorbent paper towels.

Leave 1 1/2 tbsp oil in the pan and stir fry lentils until golden brown. Add mustard seed and stir -fry until they stop spluttering.

Add onion and curry leaves then saute` until onion turns golden brown.

Stir in chilli and coriander powders and remove from heat immediately. Add fried bitter gourd and stir to mix well. Serve hot with rice and other dishes.

Now for another bitter gourd dish,Chinese style to whip up. My friend, Kim celebrated her 60th birthday in great style.There was a lovely dinner party with a free flow of champagne at the Ritz Carlton. Guests were dressed in florals (no black, upon request). A group of friends sang songs for her, so did her dear husband who did a solo. These songs were given in a specially recorded cd. Also, a book of her loved recipes gorgeously bound with much love, was given to each guest. Thanks, Kim for the unforgettable evening and this recipe :

Stuffed Bitter Gourd

Ingredients:

1 bitter gourd
6oz minced pork or chicken
2 oz shelled shrimp and minced
1 red chilli (sliced)
1 tbsp fermented black beans

(A) 1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp slt
1 tsp sesame oil
1/3 tsp cornstach

(B) 21/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2cup water

Method

1. Remove ends and stem from bitter gourd. Cut into slices 1/3 inch and remve seeds. Place in boling water with salt and cook for 2 minutes. Remove and place in cold water to cool and then drain.
2. Add (A) to minced pork/chicken and minced prawns.
3. Lightly dry bitter gourd then stuff with pork/chicken filling.
4. Heat pan and 1/2 cup oil until medim hot. Fry stuffed bitter gourd on both sides until meat is golden brown and remove.
5. Reheat wok and add 2 tbsp oil. Stir-fry fermented black beans and chilli. Add in bitter gourd and add (B) to simmer. Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Remove to serving plate.



Enjoy and let the bitter gourd surprise you !