Bilimbi: what is this fruit and why is it useful?

If they say that cucumbers grow on a tree, do not immediately ridicule the joker. It is quite possible that we are talking about bilimbi. Its fruits really do look like plump, light-colored cucumbers. This plant is cultivated for its abundant harvest. Bilimbi is used as a condiment, added to marinades and soft drinks, and used in folk medicine.

Secrets of the cucumber tree

For Russian latitudes the plant is unfamiliar. It does not tolerate frosts at all, so it is grown only by fans of exotics and then in a room version. In natural environment the tree grows up to 8-10 m, the sprawling crown with pinnate leaves hides bunches of large fruits. The trunk branches out into a number of powerful vertical branches. The tree is very beautiful due to the combination of white branches and rich green leaf lamellae.

The leaves are similar in structure to acacia, but much larger, reaching 60 cm. Flowers are very bright with an intense fragrance. The corollas may be yellowish green or dark red.

The unripe fruits are green in color and have a crispy flesh. When fully ripe, they turn a light cream color, the flesh becomes juicy and friable. Inside is a few seeds.

The plant is common in Thailand, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines. Later it was introduced to Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador.

Composition and health benefits

The flesh of the fruit is sour, in food in fresh form is almost not used, but is valued as an additive to sauces, used as a spice. As part of is:

• dietary fiber;
• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• flavonoids;
• organic acids;
• tannins;
• riboflavin;
• thiamine;
• niacin.

The sour taste of the fruit is given by the high content of oxalic acid. Several varieties of cucumber have been bred, but even the sweetest specimens require additional processing. They are used to make jelly and jam, the taste of which resembles a mix of grapes, apples and gooseberries.

Interesting: After heat treatment, most of the useful substances of bilimbi are preserved.

Cucumber fruits are rarely exported from Asian countries, only as part of spice mixes. In Indonesia they are grown as a valuable culinary ingredient. The plant is also used in the recipes of folk medicine. And in decoctions and infusions go practically all parts, except for the roots and trunk.

The main properties:

• normalization of blood pressure;
• strengthen immunity;
• increase the intensity of the metabolism;
• increase the rate of regeneration;
• analgesia;
• reduction of inflammatory processes;
• elimination of allergy symptoms.

The fruit is introduced into weight loss diets. Bilimbi activates the removal from the body of toxins and excess fluid, make up for the lack of vitamins, contributes to a more rapid saturation due to the large amount of fiber.

Contraindications

Bilimbi is more of a condiment than a full meal in itself. This dish should not be included in the diet in case of kidney, gastrointestinal and urogenital system diseases. Even gastritis does not dispose to the consumption of cucumber fruits. You should not try them for people suffering from gout. Alkalic acid in fruits provokes attacks and makes them last longer. Individual intolerance also becomes a contraindication.

Culinary applications

The sour taste excludes the possibility of treating the fruit in raw form. They can be marinated, boiled in sugar, added together with vegetables in stews. They are part of sauces, they make a very tasty jam. A very interesting taste has a garnish, which is made up of rice, beans and bilimbi.

Important: The fruits are not subject to long-term storage and begin to spoil as early as 3 to 5 days after being plucked from the branches.

Mostly they are sold dried, so look for them on the spice rack. Candied cucumber flowers and jam are also found.

On the menus of cafes and restaurants in Indonesia tourists are recommended to try:

• Beef ribs with bilimbi;
• Irumban Puli Achar with rice and cottage cheese;
• spicy oatmeal muffins;
• baked shrimp in cucumber fruit sauce.

Of the drinks, the most popular are bilimbi juice and wine.

The use of bilimbi in folk medicine

The high content of vitamins and fiber has determined the range of uses. Bilimbi is included in remedies to stabilize the gastrointestinal tract, comprehensive cleansing of the body, support the cardiovascular and endocrine systems. It is used to speed up the metabolism and activate the regeneration process.

Leaves perfectly relieve pain and swelling in pathologies of the joints, remove irritation and itching from insect bites, are part of the means to solve delicate intimate problems. Decoctions from the green part of the crown facilitates phlegm discharge in respiratory diseases, accelerate recovery from the flu and bronchitis.

Flowers normalize the digestive process, relieve irritable bowel syndrome. Milky juice is put into the eyes for conjunctivitis and retinal dystrophy.

Interesting facts about bilimbi

1. The tree is so beautiful in its combination of snow-white branches, rich green leaves and purple flowers that it is often grown as a garden ornament.
2. The trees grow very quickly, allowing the wood to be used for furniture and furnishings.
3. The size of the harvest of one tree is several hundred fruits.
4. The size of a single "cucumber" is 5 to 8 cm.
5. The puree is used to remove rust and bleach fabrics.
6. The acid is partially neutralized by soaking in salted water. Before dipping in the solution, the fruits are pricked in several places. The liquid obtained after processing the berries is considered medicinal and is used as eye drops.
7. In cooking, the plant is used as a spice, a garnish, a component of sauces, raw material for making wine and jams.
8. The tree is grown in pots as a bonsai.
9. In some African tribes the plant is considered sacred.
10. The fruit is considered low-calorie and is recommended for weight management programs.

Bilimbi is of great benefit and therefore appreciated by the inhabitants of hot countries. It's a shame that you can only taste the fresh fruit where it is grown, but the experience of dishes with it will be unforgettable.

Photo of the bilimbi fruit