This wild vegetable is delicious when cooked in soup, stir-fried or pickled, and is an extremely valuable liver-protecting medicine.

From refreshing soups to unusual sour dishes, this rustic vegetable has become an indispensable part of the countryside meals in Duc Hue, Long An . Not only a rustic dish, spiny squash is also considered a "miracle drug" with many wonderful health benefits.

Spiny squash specialty - A simple but flavorful vegetable

Among the typical rustic dishes of Duc Hue, Long An, spiny gourd is a familiar vegetable to the people here. Not only is it favored for its delicious taste, spiny gourd also brings many valuable nutritional and medicinal values. For a long time, this vegetable has become an indispensable part of the local people's meals.

Spiny squash grows wild along streams, river banks, and in the humid areas of Binh Duong province and is now one of the most popular specialty vegetables. Photo: Cam Ly

Spiny squash is also known by many other names such as mop tree, thorny mountain vine, thorny choc, hai vu, thorny rai... This is a vegetable belonging to the aroid family, often growing wild in wet areas, along rivers, canals or marshes. Thanks to its strong growth characteristics, this vegetable does not need much care but still grows well, creating an abundant food source for the people of Duc Hue.

Local people often pick the shoots of the spiny gourd to use in meals or bring to the market to sell. Some households also actively grow this vegetable to harvest year-round, supplying the market. It is worth noting that spiny gourd is not only a rustic dish but also has important medicinal uses.

According to Oriental medicine, this vegetable has a cooling effect, helps to clear heat, detoxify, aid digestion and improve overall health. Many people use a decoction of bitter melon to help with urination, reduce inflammation and support the treatment of liver diseases.

Spiny squash often grows wild in wet areas, along rivers, canals or swamps. Photo: VOV

This vegetable can be processed into many different dishes, from soup, stir-fry to pickle. With fresh spiny squash, people often cook soup with shrimp, fish, meat or eel to create a sweet, natural and nutritious flavor. Spiny squash stir-fried with garlic is also very popular because of its characteristic aroma. More simply, just boil it and dip it in fish sauce or braised fish sauce, this vegetable is enough to captivate the taste buds.

Another special way of processing is to make sour spiny gourd. After being pre-processed, the spiny gourd shoots are naturally fermented, creating a mildly sour and crunchy flavor. When processed into sour soup, stir-fry or salad, sour spiny gourd brings a new and attractive culinary experience.

Both a vegetable and a medicine and how to grow spiny squash

Not only is it a delicious dish, bitter melon is also highly valued for its health benefits. According to traditional medicine, this vegetable has the effect of clearing heat, diuresis, detoxifying the liver and effectively reducing inflammation. Some folk remedies also use bitter melon to support the treatment of bone and joint pain, colds and digestive problems. Thanks to its high fiber and vitamin content, this vegetable also helps improve the digestive system and strengthen the body's resistance.

The bioactive compounds present in bitter melon, including flavonoids, saponins and glycosides, have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and reduce liver damage caused by hepatitis B and C viruses.

Not only that, bitter melon also acts as a powerful "companion" for the liver, helping to enhance liver function and promote the process of eliminating toxins from the body effectively. This is especially important for people who are regularly exposed to toxic factors such as alcohol, tobacco or polluted environments.

Young shoots of the prickly pear tree

Regular use of luffa in the diet or in the form of luffa support products can also slow down liver fibrosis, a dangerous complication that can lead to liver failure and liver cancer.

With its rich fiber content, bitter melon acts as a "broom" to clean the intestines, helps with bowel movements, stimulates digestion and is an effective solution for those who are experiencing constipation.

Besides, if you are facing uncomfortable stomach pain, spiny melon can also be your "savior". The natural anti-inflammatory active ingredients in spiny melon have the effect of soothing the stomach lining, reducing pain and bringing a more comfortable feeling to the digestive system.

Pickled spiny squash stir-fried with offal is one of the daily rustic dishes of people in Duc Hue district.

Regularly adding bitter melon to your diet not only helps protect cells from free radical attacks but also has a positive impact on the immune system. Like a natural "vaccine", bitter melon helps strengthen the body's resistance, helping you fight against pathogens from the environment, thereby minimizing the risk of disease and maintaining a healthy body.

In addition to its nutritional and medicinal value, spiny melon is also highly valued for its ability to adapt to many different types of soil. People in Duc Hue often grow this vegetable by propagating from rhizomes or planting seeds. After a short time, the plant grows well without the need for chemical fertilizers, ensuring a clean food source for the family. Thanks to its easy-to-grow characteristics, spiny melon is increasingly being grown by many households in Duc Hue and neighboring areas.

Dishes made from prickly squash have become an indispensable part of the culinary culture of Duc Hue region. With its unique flavor and valuable nutritional values, this vegetable is not only a rustic specialty but also a beauty in the homeland cuisine, making many people far from home always remember the simple but meaningful meals.

Source: https://danviet.vn/loai-rau-dan-da-dem-di-nau-canh-xao-hay-muoi-chua-deu-ngon-ba-chay-la-thuoc-bao-ve-gan-cuc-quy-20250303162854679.htm