Bitter Gourd / Bitter Melon

Also known asKarela · Bitter Melon · Balsam Pear · Peria · Momordica charantia · 苦瓜

Name: Bitter gourd, also called bitter melon, bitter squash, karela or ku gua (Momordica charantia) — a warty, ridged, green, cucumber-shaped fruit with a very bitter taste, which is prized in Asian cuisines for that very bitterness.

Description

Bitter gourd is native to tropical Asia, probably India, and has been cultivated for centuries in India, China, Southeast Asia and Africa. It is a staple of Indian, Chinese, Okinawan, Thai and Vietnamese cooking, and is also valued in traditional medicine, where it is used for diabetes.

The bitterness comes from compounds called momordicin and charantin, and varies by type, with the Indian types dark green and ridged, and the Chinese ones paler, longer and less bitter. Cooks reduce the bitterness by salting, soaking or blanching the slices, or pair it with rich or sweet ingredients.

Main nutrition value

Bitter gourd provides vitamin C, vitamin A, folate and potassium, with compounds that are studied for blood sugar control, though evidence is not strong.

How best to be consumed

Bitter gourd is cooked, and its bitterness is tempered.

1. Halve lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and white pith, slice, and salt for 20 minutes, then rinse and squeeze, to reduce bitterness.
2. Stir-fry with eggs, black beans or pork, as in Chinese and Okinawan goya champuru.
3. Stuff and fry or simmer, as in Indian bharwa karela.
4. Blanch briefly before adding to curries or soups.
5. Choose firm, bright green, younger gourds, which are less bitter.

Overconsumption could cause…

Bitter gourd is safe in food amounts, with some important cautions.

1. Low blood sugar, particularly in people taking diabetes medicines, from large amounts or juice, so they should check with a doctor.
2. Avoidance during pregnancy, since it may stimulate the uterus, and some seeds contain toxic compounds, such as vicine, which can trigger favism in people with G6PD deficiency.
3. Stomach pain and diarrhoea from large amounts of bitter gourd juice.
4. Possible liver or other effects of concentrated extracts and supplements.

GroupsSquash and GourdsGourd family (Cucurbitaceae)Low fatLow sodiumRich in folateRich in vitamin CIndianFresh

Related foodsBottle GourdIvy Gourd / TindoraPointed Gourd / ParwalRidge GourdSnake GourdSponge Gourd / Luffa

Wikipedia — Momordica charantia, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momordica_charantia