This plant is from the Andes, and called Caigua or Achocha. It is mentioned in 'The lost crops of the Incas'. The seed was easy to germi...Read Morenate, easy to grow. The vine has tendrils like a peavine and white flowers. If you get the fruits very young, the seeds inside are soft and white. But if you wait for the fruits to mature, the seeds are black and hard. We popped them out and cut them into rings for a salad. Also, you can just nibble around the core. Very tasty, with a cucumber flavor. Tasty in soup. I read they are good in stir fries. Where they originate, the people stuff them. Supposedly caigua are very good for many modern health problems, ...' as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic and hypoglycemic; for arteriosclerosis, circulatory problems, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, intestinal parasites, and tonsilitis (from http://www.rain-tree.com)'. Wikipedia said that its effectiveness as an anti-inflammatory rivals ibuprofin.
This plant is from the Andes, and called Caigua or Achocha. It is mentioned in 'The lost crops of the Incas'. The seed was easy to germi...Read More