(Botanik, Bitkibilim) A tropical, Old World, tendril-bearing annual vine (Momordica charantia) having yellow flowers and orange, warty fruits that open at maturity to expose red-coated seeds
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 "
Also known as Balsam Pear, this is a very strange looking gourd, shaped something like a cucumber with a rough, pockmarked skin The flavor is unusual as well - like cilantro, it's an acquired taste Fortunately, blanching it before cooking will help reduce the bitter taste (You can also degorge them as you would with eggplant) In addition, you'll often find bitter melon paired with strong flavors such as black beans, which counteracts the bitterness In one well-known Chinese recipe bitter melon is stuffed with pork, garlic, and mashed black beans, and steamed Bitter melon has long been thought to have medicinal value, and has been used to treat low blood sugar and infections More recently it has been used to treat HIV