Bitter Melon - No Ordinary Vegetable

            Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) plant, also known as bitter gourd or balsam pear is a vine that grows in tropical areas and produces edible vegetables, recognized for being one of if not the most bitter vegetable found anywhere on Earth. To those unfamiliar with bitter melon, as I was before joining the ECVOntario research team this summer, this blog is for you.

            When I first encountered bitter melon, it was completely alien and new to me. I had no idea where it came from, what it uses were, or how to prepare it. I asked myself why anyone would want to consume a bitter vegetable, and especially one that looked like a small cucumber covered in warts. But, I thought surely this vegetable must have some redeeming qualities that I had yet to discover. After doing a little research, I learned that bitter melon has been consumed as food for centuries in tropical places like Asia, Africa, and South America, due to its wide-ranging medicinal properties, which distinguish it from most vegetables. For instance, bitter melon has been found to be effective in preventing and treating type I and type II diabetes, which is a major health concern right now in North America. Moreover, it has proven beneficial as a preventative measure and treatment against respiratory illnesses like asthma and bronchitis, digestive disorders, even cancers, and possibly HIV/AIDS. The list goes on and on.

A few days ago, I decided to give bitter melon a try and went looking for some in my home town of Guelph, Ontario. I searched the produce sections of the local Zehrs, No Frills, and Foods Basics, and was disappointed to find that not one of these supermarkets carried a bitter melon. Finally, as luck would have it, I was able to locate a few of the Indian variety from a small Indian food store in town. I brought them home and began searching for recipes. Irrespective of the variety one uses, there are several recipes for bitter melon. Since the melons that I grabbed were of the Indian kind (known as karella), that made narrowing down my decision a little easier. Finally, I decided on a simple Indian recipe I had discovered earlier while searching the internet. The photo below shows the end result of that recipe.

After great anticipation I finally got to taste the bitter melon. The bitterness was quite evident on my first bite, but I think the spices and salt did a pretty good job of masking the bitterness. One thing I forgot to do was remove the seeds, which should further help in alleviating the bitterness, so I’ll remember to do that the next time. What I can say about bitter melon is that it’s an acquired taste. If you are someone who has difficulty trying new foods, bitter melon probably isn’t for you. If however you are someone looking to expand your taste pallet and eat healthier, then I definitely recommend trying bitter melon. If anything, at least your body will thank you for incorporating this healthy vegetable into your diet. 

Andrew Filson – Undergraduate Research Assistant, ECVOntario team 2011, University of Guelph

For other bitter melon recipes, check out the links below:

Indian Deep Fried Bitter Gourd Recipe: http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/deep-fried-bitter-gourd

Chinese Stir Fried Bitter Melon Recipe: http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/sitr-fried-bitter-melon-0