Snap melon, phut, phoot, Cucumis melo subsp. agrestris var. momordica (syn: Cucumis momordica), a vine native to India, produces oval to cylindrical fruits with thin smooth skin. turning yellow at maturity, usually 12-25 cm long. The young fruits resemble and often consumed as cucumber, and may also be cooked as vegetable, or pickled. The ripe fruits have whitish-pink flesh and consumed raw as melons, although flesh is insipid and mealy. They may also be used in refreshing drinks, or consumed mixed with rice powder and jaggery. The fruits split irregularly, or burst spontaneously when ripe, hence the name ââ¬Åphutââ¬Â.
|
