Bitter melon is a climbing vine that grows abundantly where winters are mild or tropical and warm year-round.
What is a bitter melon?
Bitter melon is a vegetable that comes from the gourd family. It is also known as balsam pear, bitter cucumber and Momordica charantia. They are native to India but they have spread throughout Asia and Africa, where they are eaten as a staple food.
Bitter melons come in many shapes. Some are long and slender while others are short and rounder with bumps on their surface. The skin of bitter melon can be pale green or dark green, with white ribs running down its length that turns yellow when it’s ripe (similar to how a honeydew melon would change colour). Inside you’ll find seeds that look like black rice grains floating in liquid (which is called “curd”). These seeds can be removed from the curd before cooking if you prefer not to eat them; however, they’re actually edible so don’t worry about throwing them away!
You can buy bitter melon at several supermarkets, fruit shops and farmers market.
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