I was desperate.
The temperatures were hitting 110°F by 11 am. I was swathed from head to toe trying to hide from the blazing sun and dusty gusts of searing wind.
The vegetables in the market were also trying to keep cool, hiding under wet blankets requiring a peek-a-boo hunting trek around the cozy bed tables to find some recognizable vegetable to take home and eat.
My staples of cauliflower and broccoli had long since dried up in the market, and wouldn’t be seen again until the cooler fall months.
There was always cabbage…again! Nothing it seems can kill cabbage. It hangs around all year long.
<—-Nope, no Indian Marrow here! Just us cucumbers, tryin’ to keep cool.
I had seen these long, pale green gourd-ish looking things popping out under the blankets, in large amounts in the market. So, it must be their season to shine, the hot, dusty, dry months of summer.
Deciding to take a chance, I bought one, for about $0.10. I had no idea how to cook it, or what it could possibly taste like, but all things considered, it was the least scary looking veggie under the blankets.
I couldn’t believe how great this tasted! I’m not sure if it’s just a matter of adding enough butter, ghee and cheese to anything and it will taste great.
I did try it plain, without the cheese, for comparison and yep, this veggie’s a keeper.
It is also called bottle gourd.
This is one of my new favorite vegetable. It takes a bit of work, but it’s worth it.
Next, I’m going to try working with Jackfruit, which is in season now and in all the markets.
It’s the fresh, unripe green Jackfruit that can be bought by the kilo in the markets.
Indian Marrow Keto Style
Ingredients
- 1 cup Shredded Indian Marrow
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1/4 cup Sautéed Paneer Made in advance
- 1/2 cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Instructions
- Peel half an Indian Marrow and grate. You'll have approximately one cup grated.
- Heat the ghee in a frying pan. Add the grated Marrow and sauté about 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning, but allow for browning (I personally like the brown, crusty bits!) I think the browning is essential to bring out a really great taste in this gourd. Of course, you loose about 3/4 of the volume.
- Push the sauteed marrow to one side; on the other side, add the butter and sauteed paneer and cook to heat. Then mix all together, the paneer and marrow.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook a minute or so more until all is blended and hot.
- Push the marrow and paneer together in the pan, as if forming a patty. Sprinkle on the cheese; cover and cook on low another minute or until the cheese has melted on top.
Notes
cool & crunchy, make for a very enjoyable eating experience. This combo is an almost perfect keto macro ratio of 5:80:15.