Bitter melon

Momordica charantia

vegetable · fruit

A green, warty fruit of a climbing plant of warm countries, very bitter because of momordicins, substances close to quinine; stuffed, stir-fried or in curry. Fruit, leaves and seeds are all eaten.

Origin

India and Southern China

Season (United States)

all year round · grows in your region

Preparation

When green, its seeds and white pith are removed; when ripe, the red coating of the seeds is sweet and eaten. Its own bitterness is normal — that is the whole point; salting it twenty minutes then rinsing softens it. An ORDINARY squash that turns bitter, however, goes in the bin: that one is cucurbitacin.

Did you know?

Its French name, margose, comes from the Indo-Portuguese amargosa, “bitter”; the only sweet part of the plant is the red pulp around its seeds.