How insulting, when cucumbers planted by all the rules, carefully and for a long time looked after, watered, fed, weeded, suddenly turn out to be bitter! So why are cucumbers bitter, what to do with them further? If you carefully read this article, you will find out what to do with bitter cucumbers, and your works on the plot will not be wasted for nothing.
The causes of the appearance of bitterness
Externally, the bitter cucumbers from ordinary do not differ. They have the same rich green color, fresh aroma and a crispy skin. Few mistress at least once in my life did not succumb to this "deception" and did not spoil the taste of salad with a single bitter cucumber. Of course, without difficulty, you can simply completely cut the cucumber from the cucumber, but in fact it contains the very vitamins and microelements that the body needs.
The cause of the bitterness of cucumbers lies in cucurbitin, a special substance with a bitter taste. Kukurbitatsin is found in all cucumbers without exception, but its increased concentration is felt on the palate. The most important reasons for increasing the level of this substance in cucumbers are:
- lack of moisture;
- excessive amount of moisture;
- Irregular irrigation;
- excess of sunlight;
- lack of nitrogen and potassium in the ground;
- low humidity in the greenhouse;
- seeds obtained from the back of the cucumber.
Sometimes the cause of bitterness can be damaged or twisted lashes plants. Sharp weather changes can also affect the taste of cucumbers.
To avoid such a situation, regularly and to the extent water the plants with warm water, sprinkle them in the mornings, and produce top-quality complex fertilizers, the composition of which is balanced. Fresh manure as a top dress is not suitable!
When buying seeds, pay attention to hybrid varieties containing special genes that prevent the accumulation of cucumber in cucumber. This is usually indicated by the marking on the package. The taste of them, of course, may be less expressive and mild, but there is a choice for you.
Save the harvest
But what if all preventive measures to grow cucumbers without bitterness were futile? And can you even eat bitter cucumber? Of course, but before that, you need to slightly "pokold" it. The most usual way, which the housewives usually use, is to cut off the skin with bitter fruits. Sometimes it is enough to cut off the back of the fetus (centimeter 2-3), where, in the main, and concentrates kukurbitatsin.
How quickly and easily to eliminate the cucumber bitterness, well known to the Japanese. So, in national restaurants, fruits with bitter taste are not thrown away, but simply cut off the tip and tear them thoroughly about cutting the cucumber in circular motions. On the circumference of the cut appears a foam of white color, in which, in fact, and accumulates kukurbitatsin. If it is removed, the cucumber will lose bitterness, and you can enjoy
There is another way to remove bitterness from cucumbers intended for fresh consumption. Put them in a basin and pour for several hours with cold water. The bitterness will go into the water. If the cucumbers are too bitter, which is characteristic of the fruit-rich fruit, it is better to change the water several times.
The bitter cucumbers are also quite suitable for canning. The fact is that cucurbitacin under the action of water and high temperatures is able to split. If all your attempts to "reanimate" the bitter fruit for fresh consumption were unsuccessful, then the only way out is to pick it up or pour the marinade . After such treatment, even the most bitter cucumbers will become suitable for food.