Saying Horned melon in different languages:
Hindi – हॉर्नर्ड तरबूज
Africa – Kiwano
English – Cucumis metuliferus
What is Horned melon?
It is also known as “Kiwano”. Kiwano is a traditional food plant in Africa. This fruit has horn-like spines, hence the name “horned melon”. Ripe fruit has orange skin and lime green, jelly-like flesh with a refreshingly fruity taste. Its taste is the combination of banana and passionfruit. It is now grown in the Germany, Chile, United States, Portugal, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. Its peel is very rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber. Kiwano is also known as African horned melon, jelly melon, African horned cucumber, melano, and they have even been called spiked pears.
Health Benefits:
- It contains a high amount of magnesium.
- It contains calcium which is good for the health of the bones and will help prevent conditions such as osteoporosis.
- It has quite a rich nutritional profile with large amount of vitamins and minerals
Use in Cooking:
It can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. It comes handy in sweet preparations such as ice creams, paste, sorbets, syrups and fruit salads. Its juice is used to add flavor in cocktails, smoothies, dressings, and sauces. Its flavor pairs well with passion fruit, banana, coconut, honey and vanilla yogurt or ice cream, melon. We can keep it at room temperature or refrigerated for up to a week or ten days. Here are the some of the famous recipes that can be made using horned melons. ex. Grilled Beef with Horned Melon Sauce, Kiwano & Lime Vinaigrette.