Cucumber

The humble, crunchy cucumber is a wonderful vegetable to beat the scorching summer heat. Cucumber is one of the oldest cultivated crops, believed to have been originated in the Indian subcontinent.

The plant is basically a creeper and belongs to the Cucurbitaceous family, its scientific name being Cucumis sativus. This vegetable is considered as a super food for its effects on the overall health.

This plant is extremely easy to grow and is cultivated in various sizes, shapes and colour. The vegetable is cultivated all over the world. It has a light to dark green thin skin, moisture rich flesh and has tiny edible seeds inside. The vegetable is best harvested when it is young, tender and just short of achieving maturity. It has a slightly sweet flavour and is mainly eaten raw in salad or sandwiches or in the form of juice.