Gac Fruits

Momordica cochinchinensis

Sumber rujukan :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gac
http://www.gacfruits.com/
http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?24521
http://www.seedman.com/gac.htm
Scientific classification

Kingdom   : Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order        : Cucurbitales
Family      : Cucurbitaceae
Genus       : Momordica
Species     : M. cochinchinensis

Binomial name
Momordica cochinchinensis


Yes, it has a strange name.
No, you most likely haven’t heard of it before. And yes, it is definitely a fruit you need to know. It’s Gac fruit (Momordica cochinchinensis), a strange and beautiful red fruit originating from Vietnam, where it is harvested in December and January. The fruit is cultivated throughout Southeast Asia and China, often as an ornamental plant due to its magnificent color. Also known as Chinese bitter cucumber, cundeamor and bhat karela, Gac fruit is rich in the antioxidants beta-carotene, lycopene (seventy times more than in tomatoes), and zeaxanthin. It contains the highest concentration of beta carotene of any known fruit or vegetable (ten times as much as carrots). Beta carotene is a reddish antioxidant that shows up in a host of fruits and vegetables, from apricots to pumpkins. It converts to vitamin A in the body, and has a variety of protective properties.

Gac fruit is traditionally cooked into glutinous rice to produce a brilliant orange rice dish known as xoi gac. The fruit and various preparations made from it are served as special dishes at New Year celebrations, and at weddings. As a traditional medicine, Gac fruit has been employed to treat conditions of the eyes, burns, skin problems and wounds. The juice of the fruit is consumed as a healthy beverage that is good for the eyes, immunity, reproduction, skin, heart health, and the prostate. Today Gac fruit extracts are making their way into supplement products in the US and abroad.


Read more:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/02/22/gac-strange-powerful-fruit/#ixzz1QeMJjz8A

What does Gac taste like?


Gac flesh and oily sacs are quite palatable and have very little taste, it could be described as a very mild taste, in the same way that a cucumber has very little taste. It is only slightly sweet or not sweet, and it would not be described as delicious, more like plain or no taste. The mesocarp (light orange outer fleshy part under the spiny skin) has a soft spongy texture. It is normally discarded (composted!). When the seeds and oil sac are cooked with rice, they impart a lustrous appearance and oil-rich, mild nutty flavor to the rice.

For western diets, a convenient way to prepare Gac is to drop the seed sacs into a pot of tomato sauce and cook briefly. Of course if your tomato sauce already has a rich tomato taste and contains some other healthy oils like olive oil, the Gac imparts almost no detectable flavor to the tomato sauce while turbo-charging it with phyto-nutrients. Use it to make some pizza or lasagna!

What are Gac seeds?


Gac seeds are brown in color and look like small meteorites with gagged edges and black lines running through them. They are about the size of a half dollar piece and about 1/4 inch thick. Approximately 200-300 seeds in 1 kilogram. They have one small hole on one end. This is where the vine will emerge at germination. How to germinate Gac seeds?

Like all seeds, Gac seeds need oxygen, water, and light to germinate. Clay soils do not allow for passage of oxygen. Planting any seed deep in wet clay soil is a good way to prevent oxygen and light from reaching it, which will result in poor germination results and rotted seeds. Do not use straight potting soil for the same reason.

The seeds should be planted immediately upon receipt. The seeds should be placed half submerged in well draining soil mix. A good mix to use is our WonderSoil Reground Mix or you can purchase a good seed starting mix like MiracleGro Seed Mix at most any gardening center


The seeds have one opening and this should be placed down in the soil. This is where the vine will emerge at germination. Warmth, air circulation, and bright light are required for germination. Seeds are easy to germinate and they will germinate in 7-14 days. Germination rate is usually around 80%.


Gac is a tropical vine plant that grow almost 20 feet long on a fence, or cover an overhead arbor, it can be grown outside in zone 9 and higher ( we have grown it in 8b before ).

It can be grown as annual plant in cooler climates and in large tubs in warm greenhouses.

For northern states, start inside in early winter in a warm spot with bright light, ( it will get big before spring, use at least a 5 gallon container ) and transplant outside after last frost in spring. This plant needs about 8 months to fruit from the time it is planted, so start seeds accordingly.

3 Seed Package $4.50


How About???

It's can be grow in our country (Malaysia)???
Look like similar environment growth.....

Native:


•ASIA-TEMPERATE
China: China - Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan
Eastern Asia: Taiwan

•ASIA-TROPICAL
Indian Subcontinent: Bangladesh; India - Assam, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
North Indian Ocean: India - Andaman and Nicobar
Indo-China: Cambodia; Laos; Myanmar; Thailand; Vietnam
Malesia: Indonesia; Malaysia

•AUSTRALASIA
Australia: Australia - Queensland [n.]