30+ Cucumber

Cucumbers were first cultivated in India. They play a symbolic role in the Hindu Janmashtami festival which celebrates the birth of Krishna. They represent the womb of Krishna's mother, Devaki. During the festival, a cucumber is symbolically cut at midnight to represent Krishna's birth.

There are over a hundred varieties of cucumber in different shapes and sizes. These include English (in the shops), Kirby (for pickling), Persian, Carolina, the round Crystal Apple and the blue Dead Man's Fingers.

Cucumbers are around 95% water. They are a good source of vitamin K. They also contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B9 and C. They also contain copper, potassium, magnesium and manganese. Its phytonutrients are mostly in the peel and the seeds. They are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The high water content of cucumbers supports detoxification.

Cucumbers are mostly eaten in salads, in sandwiches, in dips or as dippers. They can also be pickled, added to stir-fries, soups and even cakes. When I was a kid, no party was complete without a cucumber crocodile with cheesy teeth and pineapple and pickled onion cocktail sticks on its back.