also known as the balsam pear or bitter gourd ("ku gua" in Chinese where "ku" is bitter and "gua" melon) is a long fruit resembling a cucumber with bumpy skin. It is quite popular in Chinese cooking where the fruit is often braised, stir fried or steamed and is added to a dish consisting of pork, onions, ginger, and black bean sauce. The bitter melon is also a frequent ingredient in Chinese soups. The young fruit has green, shiny skin and silvery-green flesh with a delicate, slightly sour flavor. The skin becomes yellow or orange as it ripens, and its taste becomes bitter, which is when it is most often used. Bitter melon comes in cans and is more likely to be found in emporia specializing in Chinese goods than in other stores and shops . However, in the month of April through September, it can be found fresh in most Asian markets. When purchasing, choose fruit firm to the touch with a nice green color. If you prefer the less bitter variety, look for dark green ones. Fresh bitter melon can be kept in the refrigerator for a week or two.
This bitter vegetable is believed to have medicinal properties and is widely used throughout Asia.
Although bitter melon (also known as bitter gourd) looks and is shaped like a cucumber, its crude surface may have given it a complex, causing it to become bitter. When cooked with onions and tomatoes, the bitter taste is tamed and brought into harmony.
A long, green, shiny, slightly sour fruit that resembles a cucumber with bumpy skin.
a plant with a long tradition of medicinal use in Asia. The plant is a source of MAP 30, a protein that shows anti-HIV activity in vitro
Long, green, pear-shaped melon with a ridged surface. It has a definite bitter taste. Cut melon in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cut in thin slices and stir-fry with meats.
The fruit of a tropical climbing herb in Africa and Asia. It is similar to a cucumber and is used as a vegetable in meat dishes, fish dishes, and in soups. Also called "Balsam pear" or "bitter gourd."
Momordica charantia is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown for edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all vegetables. English names for the plant and its fruit include bitter melon or bitter gourd , karaila (from Urdu) & Hindi, parikkai (from Tamil), hanzal (from Arabic), ampalaya (from Tagalog). The original home of the species is not known except that it is a native of the tropics.