Let’s grow more kundol

There are a number of good reasons why Filipinos should plant more kundol or wax gourd. The fruit makes a tasty dish when cooked with pork or chicken. The fruit is peeled and the flesh is sliced into thin pieces and then sauteed with garlic and little vegetable oil.

Bigger slices of the peeled fruit can also be made into a soupy dish with chicken, pork or beef cubes.

Kundol can also be made into sweets for dessert, either for home consumption or for sale in the market.

Growing kundol is easy. It loves well drained soil that is rich in organic matter. The vines can be allowed to go up a sturdy trellis so the fruits will hang above the ground. However, some farmers just allow the vines to crawl on the ground. When the fruits come out and develop, a layer of rice straw could be placed below the fruit so it will not touch the soil.

Like many other vine vegetables, the plants can be attacked by insects as well as diseases. Clean culture will help keep the plants healthy, coupled with adequate fertilization.

What’s great about kundol is that the fruit will keep for several months without spoiling for as long as they are stored in a cool dry place. There are new varieties of kundol that will give higher yield. Two such varieties from Thailand were showcased by East-West Seed in its demo farm at the Villar Sipag Farm School recently.

WAX GOURD AT THE VILLAR SIPAG FARM SCHOOL – Photo shows Ruby Samonte posing with fruitful Suruchi F1 variety of wax gourd or Kundol. More farmers should plant Kundol because it is a tasty vegetable that can be stored for a long time after harvest. It can be prepared in many ways as vegetable and can be made into a sweet dessert, too.