Peel the gourd; this may be quite a task, but this step is important as the skins can be bitter. Cut open the gourd and remove all the stringy membranes and seeds, saving the seeds for later.

His first stop? The supermarket. A large, green calabash gourd caught his eye, and inspiration struck. Why not use it as a cooking pot? As a scout, he had cooked in green papayas, coconuts and bamboo.