The cucumber is a pumpkin
The cucumber does not look very similar to the pumpkin and the melon and yet they all belong to the cucurbits and are thus closely related. The genus cucumbers includes 52 species, which are native to both temperate and tropical regions.
One of them is the cucumber (Cucumis sativus) known to us - in some regions of Germany also known as Kukumer, in Switzerland as Gugommer. It is one of the most important vegetables in the world. Since the fruit is consumed by the cucumber plant, the cucumber counts as. As the tomato, the peppers and eggplant to the fruit vegetables.
Where does the cucumber come from?
The cucumber is native to India, where the wild form (Cucumis hystrix) was cultivated millennia ago. From here, the plant has spread first in all warm regions of the Old World. But even in northern Europe, the cucumber was able to gain a foothold in comparison to other cucurbits, as it is relatively cold-tolerant and its fruits are ready for harvest very quickly.
According to sources, the cucumber conquered the Mediterranean around 200 BC. The ancient Romans quickly fell in love with the healthy vegetables and cultivated it especially diligently. The Emperor Tiberius is said to have been so fond of the cucumber that he ate it daily. The specimens intended for him were pulled all year round and protected in bad weather behind glass walls, so that he did not have to give up his favorite vegetables even in winter.
Are all cucumbers green?
There are many varieties of cucumbers that can vary greatly in size, shape and color. So there are not only green, but also orange, yellow and white and extremely long or tortuous cucumbers that can reach a length of one meter. However, in India, for example, only a few varieties are commercially available in our climes.
Which cucumber types are there?
Concerning the culinary and the use in the kitchen a distinction is made between some cucumber types:
- Cucumbers : The so-called snake cucumber has a cylindrical, slightly curved shape, a smooth shell, no spikes and weighs about 400 grams. The only half as big mini cucumber is a small and very aromatic variety. Cucumbers are superficially cultivated in the greenhouse and are therefore also referred to as greenhouse cucumbers. In contrast, field or field cucumbers are cultivated in the field. They are smaller and have a thicker and often prickly shell.
- Cucumbers are smaller and thicker than cucumbers, have a green to yellowish color and a stronger flavor. They are usually grown outdoors and are not very good for salads. Its shell is hard and indigestible and should therefore be removed along with the seeds. For that they are braised or stewed a true delicacy.
- Spice or cucumbers are grown almost exclusively in the field. They are extremely small in comparison to cucumbers and - like all cucumbers - are harvested immature. Then they are sorted and inserted depending on the size. While small sorts are preserved as gherkins and gherkins in jars, medium-sized varieties in large cans or as cucumber pot are sold. Larger grades are processed into tongue cucumbers. Peeling cucumbers features their small core casing. They are usually cut into cubes, pickled and marketed as mustard cucumbers.
The fresh cucumber consists of 97 percent water and is the most water-rich vegetables ever. The cucumber therefore provides only 12 kcal per 100 grams of vegetables. Per 100 grams the cucumber contains the following nutrients:
- 0.2 g fat
- 1 g of protein
- 2 g of carbohydrates
- 1 g fiber
Which vitamins and minerals does the cucumber contain?
In the cucumber is a whole hodgepodge of vitamins and minerals. Which these are and how it is ordered with the fulfillment of the recommended daily dose, tells you our nutritional value table.
The vitamins:
- 66 μg Vitamin A (Retinol Equivalent) 7.3% 900 μg
- 393 μg beta carotene 19.7% 2,000 μg
- 20 μg vitamin B1 (thiamine) 1.8% 1,100 μg
- 30 μg vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 2.5% 1,200 μg
- 200 μg of vitamin B3 (niacin, nicotinic acid) 1.3% 15,000 μg
- 240 μg vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) 4% 6,000 μg
- 35 μg vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 2.3% 1,500 μg
- 1 μg vitamin B7 (biotin) 0.9% 100 μg
- 20 μg of vitamin B9 (total folic acid) 5% 400 μg
- 8 mg Vitamin C 8% 100 mg
- 63 μg vitamin E (tocopherol equivalent) 0.5% 12,000 μg
- 12 μg vitamin K 17% 70 μg
The minerals:
- 0.5 mg iron 4% 12.5 mg
- 160 μg zinc 2% 8,500 μg
- 90 μg copper 7.2% 1250 μg
- 150 μg manganese 4.3% 3,500 μg
- 141 mg potassium 3.5% 4,000 mg
- 8 mg sodium 0.5% 1,500 mg
- 15 mg calcium 1.5% 1,000 mg
- 8 mg of magnesium 2.3% 350 mg
Is the cucumber a cure?
The cucumber has been used as a cure for millennia , according to an Indian study at Jadavpur University . Their medicinal properties were already described in ancient times. Not only the fruits, but also all other plant parts such as the seeds and leaves were used.
In the traditional folk medicine of many countries, the cucumber still has a great importance in this day and age. So the cucumber in India is considered an important medicinal plant to counteract aging processes and to cure skin disorders such as sunburn. In traditional Chinese medicine, the leaves, stem and even roots are used to treat diarrhea and gonorrhea and to detoxify the body.
With regard to the medicinal effect of cucumber, research is still lagging behind. But it has already been proven that the cucumber has antioxidant, antimicrobial and antidiabetic properties and also helps regulate blood lipids (triglycerides and cholesterol).
Moreover, some studies have shown that cucumbers counteract wrinkling and can be very helpful in skin conditions.
Can the cucumber counteract a lack of liquid?
Water is an elixir of life. Those who do not drink enough risk becoming ill. How much should be drunk, however, is still controversial. According to the German Nutrition Society , the daily requirement for adult liquid is 2 liters on average.
Many people wonder: how on earth can I drink so much a day? The fact is, however, that up to one liter of fluid can be absorbed through the diet. Since the cucumber is almost 100 percent water, it can of course do much to prevent a lack of fluids.
Researchers from a 10-year study at Bonn University with 442 volunteers between the ages of 4 and 10 were able to demonstrate for the first time in 2013 that the amount of water available in the body is indeed increased when a large amount of fruit and vegetables is eaten.
What to do to help children eat more cucumbers?
Children are not always big vegetable fans. However, if cucumbers were cut in lavish portions, then a study of 255 schoolchildren between the ages of 8 and 13, the children would eat 54 percent more cucumbers than if smaller portions, but larger pieces were offered.
Is the cucumber dehydrating?
The "water bottle from the vegetable garden" is not only a wonderful thirst quencher, it also acts dehydrating and thus helps with water retention in the body such as heavy legs. This is partly due to the fact that with the cucumber also electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium enter the body, which are indispensable for the water balance.
The vitamins and minerals dissolved in the cucumber liquid can be quickly and easily absorbed by our organism, because it only stays in the stomach for a very short time and is quickly released into the intestine. This in turn promotes the uptake of bioactive substances.
In the course of this, the vegetables can help detoxify, relieve kidney and bladder problems, fight constipation, counteract rheumatism and gout pain and strengthen the immune system through the intestinal mucosa.
How is cucumber water made?
Whether traditional folk medicine or modern detox cure: cucumber water is very much in vogue. Because it is wonderfully refreshing and tastes delicious. However, since the cucumber "pulls" only in the water, only a few active ingredients in the water, so that the detoxifying effect of cucumber water is probably due simply to the water itself or the ginger contained. However, studies have shown that cucumber water can compete with any sports drink.
Ingredients :
- 1 liter of water
- ½ snake cucumber
- ½ organic lemon
- ½ tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- peppermint
Preparation :
- After you have washed the cucumber and lemon well, cut them into thin slices and pluck the mint leaves.
- Pour the water into a jug, add the cucumber and lemon slices, mint leaves and ginger, and leave the cucumber water in the fridge overnight. At least part of the water-soluble ingredients is transferred into the cucumber water.
You can also use cucumbers to create delicious smoothies. In comparison to cucumber water, these have the great advantage that all the vegetables are consumed and you can also benefit from the digestive fibers.
What helps if cucumbers cause bloating?
If cucumbers cause bloating, it may be beneficial to blanch the vegetables for a few minutes and then quench them in cold water or to prepare delicious cucumbers instead of cucumber salad.
Often the indigestion is due to the fiber or lectins contained. Since these are superficially hidden in the shell, but also in the seeds, the peeling and de-kerning of the fruit can make the cucumber more digestible.
Another way to improve digestibility is to season the vegetables with caraway or dill and make sure to chew well.
What are the disadvantages of peeling and pitting the cucumber?
In almost every cooking show, TV chefs advise you to free the cucumber from the peel and seed. Supposedly the vegetables taste finer and better. However, it is practically never mentioned that many valuable ingredients are eliminated as well.
Researchers from the University of Allahabad have carefully analyzed the cucumber shell and found that it is particularly rich in minerals. In addition, it has been shown that in the shell and especially in the fine spines is very much silicon, which, according to studies, the health of the hair, skin, nails and bones promotes.
One at the 2018 University of Maryland conducted the study , however, has shown that cucumber seeds - more specifically, a derived therefrom extract - act against free radicals and have a positive effect on the intestinal flora.
Incidentally, cucumber seeds contain a particularly valuable oil, which is obtained by cold pressing. The rare cucumber seed oil comes especially in Asia both in the kitchen and in medicine - for skin care and supportive against skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis - used.
However, the oil is found especially in ripe cucumber seeds. However, as our cucumbers are harvested immature, there is hardly any oil left in their seeds.
Is the cucumber basic?
Whether blanched, in the form of raw food or cucumber water: Another advantage of the cucumber is that it is one of the most basic types of vegetables. The cucumber thus helps to reduce an excess of acids that are produced by stimulants such as coffee and alcohol, but also meat and stress.
Can you eat cucumbers with fructose intolerance?
It is not uncommon for fructose intolerances to prevent people from eating rich in vitamins. There are plenty of vegetables that are wonderfully tolerated. The cucumber usually causes no problems, since it contains little sugar and also has a balanced fructose-glucose ratio. If this is less than or equal to 1 - as in the case of the cucumber - foods tend to be more compatible with fructose intolerance.
Should cucumbers cause bloating in an existing fructose intolerance, this may be due to the fiber and / or lectins it contains, as they can additionally stress an already irritated digestive tract and aggravate symptoms. In this case, try peeled and pitted cucumbers.
What is the glycemic index of cucumbers?
The Glycemic Load (GL) is more meaningful compared to the Glycemic Index (GI), as its density is taken into account in addition to the type of carbohydrates consumed. At 100 grams of cucumber GL is only 0.3 and is therefore extremely low.
The same applies to pickles whose GL is the same as salad and cucumber. Pay attention to the purchase but absolutely on the fact that the addition of sugar was waived. The sugar content can be up to 20 grams per 100 grams of gherkins!
Can diabetics eat cucumbers?
Since cucumbers have low GL and thus lead to neither a high nor a long-lasting blood sugar levels, the insulin secretion is not adversely affected. Therefore, the cucumber is a recommended food for diabetics (Type 2) and obese.
Do cucumbers help with diabetes?
In addition, there are already some studies that have shown that cucumbers have an antidiabetic effect. Iranian researchers from the University of Medical Sciences found in 2016 that cucumbers have a protective effect on complications such as oxidative stress associated with diabetes mellitus.
Even gherkins are a welcome snack for diabetics, especially as vinegar per se has a hypoglycemic effect. According to a study at Arizona State University , just 2 teaspoons of vinegar, taken with a meal rich in complex carbohydrates, are enough to effectively lower your post-meal blood sugar levels.
Do cucumber contain antioxidants?
The cucumber contains various antioxidants. These include on the one hand vitamins such as vitamin C and minerals such as copper and on the other hand phytochemicals such as beta-carotene. 100 grams of cucumbers are enough to meet the recommended beta-carotene daily dose almost 20 percent.
The dye beta carotene is important on the one hand because it is converted into vitamin A in the body, on the other hand it acts as a free radical scavenger and can in consequence protect against cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Often green-colored vegetables such as cucumber are not associated with the yellowish to reddish carotenoids, and yet they are present.
The green color of the cucumber is due to the fact that the carotenoids contained are superimposed by chlorophylls. The so-called leaf green has hematopoietic and wound healing properties, helps with acne and counteracts body odors and aging processes.
In addition, the cucumber contains numerous polyphenols such as lignans and flavonoids (e.g. apigenin, luteolin, quercetin and kaempferol), all of which have an antioxidant, antiallergic, antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anticancerogenic effect.
But since most of these substances are in the shell, the cucumber is rather low in antioxidants when eaten peeled.
The Chinese Tianjin Institute of Health and Environmental Medicine was discovered in a study that (older than 60 years) who received 30 days cucumber powder increased the body's antioxidant levels in subjects. At the same time, the uric acid level (high levels indicate, for example, gout and renal insufficiency) decreased significantly.
Do cucumber contain bitter substances?
Bitter foods are considered healthy, as many of them have healing properties. They can also be very toxic, depending on the substance and the dose taken. This also applies to the cucurbitacines, which are mainly contained in the cucurbitaceae family.
Cucurbitacines, according to research , have a medicinal value because they work against inflammation, cancer, atherosclerosis and diabetes. But even the smallest amounts are enough to cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea and even death.
Normally, the content of cucurbitacines in crops is so low that not even a bitter taste is perceived. In the case of cucumbers and Co. no danger!
What if the cucumber tastes bitter?
However, as studies have shown, cucumbers with a specific genetic predisposition can rarely reverse if they are exposed to extreme conditions such as cold stress, severe dryness, fluctuating water supply or inadequate nutrient supply. The plant increasingly produces bitter substances to protect itself.
In cucumbers, however, the bitterness is usually much less pronounced than with pumpkins or zucchini, so poisoning symptoms almost never occur. If a cucumber tastes a bit tart, it can be eaten quietly. If only the tail is slightly bitter, it can be cut generously and the rest of the cucumber consumed without hesitation.
However, should it happen to you that a cucumber tastes very bitter, you have to do the following, according to the Chemical and Veterinary Examination Office Stuttgart : Spit out the cucumber piece and dispose of the rest!
Since vegetables with dangerously high cucurbitacin content really taste extremely bitter, the vast majority of people react instinctively correctly anyway. As a rule, only persons suffering from taste disorders are endangered. It is also worth knowing that the bitter substances are heat-resistant and hardly soluble in water and are therefore not eliminated during cooking.
Do cucumbers help with skin problems?
Whether impure skin, redness, pimples or wrinkles: The cucumber has been used since time immemorial to counteract skin aging and to cure skin disorders. It is therefore not without reason an important component of many skincare products.
In order to do something good for the skin, both the fresh fruit and extracted extracts are used, which are used in numerous creams, gels and lotions. The application of the cucumber can thus be done internally and externally.
Fresh cucumber juice helps nourish the skin, according to a study at Jadavpur University in India. In addition, cucumbers have a cooling effect on skin irritations and alleviate swelling. Even with sunburn in the cucumber is the power to calm the skin and relieve the pain.
The cucumber promotes skin health as it has cooling, tonic, hemostatic, antimicrobial, hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties and also protects the skin to a degree from UV rays. This is due to the numerous antioxidant ingredients such as flavonoids, but also the bitter substances.
How is the cucumber used for skin problems?
In traditional folk medicine, many proven recipes are used. You do not even have to resort to expensive cosmetics, but you can easily make them yourself.
- Slices of cucumber : You have a greasy and large-pored skin? Often it is enough to put some cucumber slices on the face for about 10 minutes to achieve a visible effect. A slice of cucumber on the closed eyelids helps with swollen and tired eyes.
- Cucumber mask : you suffer from an impure skin? Chop or mix half a cucumber and sift the juice. Now mix the cucumber juice with 2 to 4 tablespoons of natural yoghurt or quark, apply the mask to the skin and let it soak in for 15 minutes. Then wash your face off with lukewarm water.
- Cucumber peeling : You long for a radiant complexion and want to reduce wrinkles? In this case, a superficial peeling can be helpful, since in this case the uppermost skin layer is gently removed. Soak 5 almonds in water for about 8 hours and set for example in a small mortar a rough mass ago. Add 1 tsp of honey and cucumber juice until a smooth paste is formed. Gently massage the exfoliating mass into the moistened facial skin, leaving out the eye area. Then the face is rinsed with lukewarm water.
Where are cucumbers grown?
Around 80 million tonnes of cucumbers are harvested worldwide every year. By far the largest cucumber producer is China, where around 62 million tonnes of cucumbers are produced. The most important European producers are Spain and Poland.
Cucumbers are offered throughout the year and come ostensibly from greenhouse crops. In German-speaking countries you can fall back on the local vegetables from the beginning of April to the end of November. In parallel, Spanish cucumbers are sold. If demand is high, outdoor cucumbers from other EU countries are also offered in summer.
Why should you buy regional cucumbers?
Import cucumbers are usually offered extremely cheap - but at what price? There are many benefits to using local cucumbers:
- Short transport routes ensure a good eco-balance, as the CO2 emissions are much lower. Outdoor cucumbers are of course preferable to greenhouses in this respect.
- Regional cucumbers are harvested at the optimal ripening time, are fresh in the trade and thus fresh on our table.
- Harvest workers are far better remunerated and are not exposed to those catastrophic conditions such as the workers in the "Mar de Plástico" (plastic sea) in the Spanish Almería. Further information can be found in our tomato text .
- As there is hardly anything to grow in southern Spain due to water shortages without irrigation, the last water reserves are plundered. As much as 80% of all water in Spain flows into the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, most of which are exported. The consequences include, inter alia, illegal wells, contamination of groundwater, sinking water levels of lakes and rivers, and species extinctions.
- If you buy regional cucumbers, you support the local farmers and thus promote the domestic economy.
- Conventional vegetables from German-speaking countries have at least less pesticide residues than vegetables from other EU countries.
Are cucumbers heavily contaminated with pesticides?
After the leafy vegetables, the fruit vegetables from conventional cultivation are the most frequently contaminated with pesticide residues according to the Stuttgart Chemical and Veterinary Examination Office. Analyzes in 2017 showed that out of 46 cucumber samples, 44 (96 percent) residues and 43 samples had multiple residues.
In 9 samples, the statutory maximum was even exceeded, this was chlorates. These substances have not been authorized in pesticides in the EU since 2009, but may also be used for cleaning or disinfecting chlorinated substances.
On behalf of the European Commission , the European Food Safety Authority ( EFSA ) assessed the health risks of chlorates in food in 2015 and concluded that these can lead to the inhibition of iodine intake in humans. Furthermore, damage to the red blood cells can occur.
Are organic cucumbers better?
Since cucumbers from conventional cultivation are always treated with pesticides, the purchase of organic cucumbers pays off, even if they are slightly more expensive. Organic cucumbers are therefore mostly field cucumbers, as snake cucumbers are particularly susceptible to mildew and their control with purely organic means is a daring game due to the possible loss of crop yield.
In 2009, Öko-Test tested 39 cucumbers on around 500 active ingredients and found that only 2 out of 27 conventionally grown but 9 out of 12 organic cucumbers were completely without detectable residues.
The environmental organization Global 2000 also concluded in 2015 that organic vegetables were preferable as they were 100 times less contaminated with pesticides than conventionally grown ones.
How do you grow cucumbers yourself?
If you have a garden or a greenhouse, you can easily grow your own cucumbers yourself. Important are a moist, warm, wind-protected and full sun location and a humus rich, loose soil. When selecting the variety, make sure that it is suitable for cultivation outdoors or in a glasshouse.
Since cucumbers are heavy-bodied, they should be fertilized on a regular basis, with compost and nettles being wonderfully suited. In addition, the vegetables have a high water requirement and should therefore be watered daily, especially during fruiting and dryness.
Keeping these tips in mind will greatly reduce the risk of harvesting bitter cucumbers. It is important to know that both bitter and bitter-free cucumbers can develop on a plant. Try your cucumbers before preparing!
Is the cucumber suitable for growing in a bucket?
Cucumbers are also perfect for cultivating on the balcony or terrace as potted plants - a southern wall is the ideal location. They feel well in the tub, which should hold at least 15 liters of soil (eg tomato soil), visibly well.
On hot days you have to expect to have to provide the plants twice a day with water. To reduce the pouring effort, a mulch layer is recommended. The first cucumbers can often be harvested as early as four weeks after planting. Also make sure to support the plants with a climbing aid.
One to two cucumber plants are enough to supply a two-person household.
What should be considered when buying cucumbers?
When shopping, make sure that the cucumbers are crisp and the end pieces are firm. If the vegetables bend, they should not end up in the shopping basket anymore. The skin should be undamaged and firm, with a rich green color.
Except for cucumbers, yellow color effects indicate that the vegetables are no longer fresh or harvested too late. Cucumbers with mushy areas should be avoided, as they are due to cold damage and thus to improper storage.
Why are cucumbers packaged?
Cucumbers stay fresh longer through the plastic. In addition, in supermarkets, where many people touch the vegetables and do a pressure test, the plastic packaging provides more hygiene. We recommend you buy cucumbers unpacked in organic stores or on farmers markets or directly from the producer in the farm shop, where they are usually offered freshly harvested.
How are cucumbers best stored?
Cucumbers are sun worshipers and are especially susceptible to cold damage. The symptoms include watery, easily depressible areas on the shell, a glassy consistency and significant loss of taste.
For this reason, you should never store your cucumbers at temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius and thus not in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, where they can only stand it for three to four days. The ideal storage temperature is between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius and allows a storage period of around 14 days. At room temperature, the cucumbers are quickly withered and soft. Ideal storage locations are thus the basement or a cool pantry.
In addition, you should avoid storing cucumbers next to fruits and vegetables such as apples, tomatoes or melons. Because these but during the post-maturation of the gas ethylene, which means that the cucumbers are quickly overripe and then inedible.
Can you freeze cucumbers?
For freezing, the water-rich cucumbers are not very good, as it also freezes the water in the cells of the cucumber, expands and in consequence destroys the cell walls. If the vegetables are then thawed, it is no longer crispy, but mushy and unsightly and tastes funny.
If you want to store your cucumbers for a longer period of time, you can put them in or get started. They are then durable for many months.
How are cucumbers pickled?
It is no witchcraft to put cucumbers in a vinegar. This is sour enough to preserve the gherkins. It is not necessary to heat the cucumbers themselves, it is enough to pour boiling sauce over them.
Gherkins are wonderful in combination with spices such as mustard and peppercorns, juniper berries, onions, garlic, chili peppers and herbs such as dill, which also provide some longer shelf life. Pickled cucumbers offer the advantage of being rich in bioactive substances compared to cooked cucumbers. But the longer you store them, the more substances go into the vinegar.
How are salt cucumbers made?
Moreover, it is possible to ferment cucumbers (lactic fermenting) leave. For this you put them in a saline solution. Milk-fermented vegetables are particularly healthy, since during fermentation - in contrast to other preservation methods - hardly any nutrient losses are to be feared. Fermented cucumbers act as a natural probiotic due to their content of lactic acid bacteria.
For the winter stock, the cucumbers (pickling cucumbers) are harvested in autumn and then placed in a 5% brine (50 grams unrefined salt to 1 liter of water). The cucumbers ferment for about 6 weeks.
Cucumbers harvested in summer can also be fermented for only one or two weeks in a 4% brine (40 g unrefined original salt per 1 liter of water). These are not sour, but semi-sour cucumbers.
How are cucumbers prepared?
Whether the cucumbers come from organic or conventional cultivation: Before processing, you should always wash them thoroughly under cold running water. Then you can finely or roughly grate the vegetables according to the recipe, cut into cubes or slices.
Salting the cucumbers is an old custom, but it is outdated. This was done earlier when the vegetables still tasted quite bitter to flush out the bitter substances. As the valuable cucumber water escapes, it should be avoided. Much cleverer is to prepare cucumbers just before consumption.
Whether you peel cucumbers and remove them from the core housing is up to you, of course, but it also reduces the content of bioactive substances and the taste.
How are cucumbers prepared?
Cucumbers are usually peeled and gutted due to the thick shell. You can cut them in larger pieces or in two halves and fill with vegetables or mushrooms. They are stewed over medium heat for about 25 minutes with cover.
What can the cucumber in the kitchen?
As their name suggests, the cucumber is used superficially to prepare salads, but boredom is certainly not on. Because there are no limits in terms of dressing. Whether with olive oil and red wine vinegar or with hemp oil and lemon juice: The cucumber is truly a quick-change artist.
You can combine the cucumber wonderfully with other vegetables such as leafy lettuce, tomatoes or potatoes because of its mild flavor. Even fruits such as papayas, apples or kiwis and nuts harmonize with the cucumber just fantastic.
In soups of all kinds the cucumber cuts a fine figure in the double sense of the word. Popular is the Gazpacho, a southern Spanish and Portuguese creation, which is conjured from uncooked vegetables and thus served cold. Cucumbers are also ideal for making a delicious risotto or pasta sauce. Only add cucumbers after the dish has been cooked.
In India, cucumbers are often used to make curries and chutneys. Unlike ours, where the vegetables are usually refined only with dill, come here many different spices and herbs such as turmeric, coriander and chili into the game, which provide an exotic touch.