Bittermelon

[SummerLove]

There are many ways to prepare it... I'm an awful cook, but I can give you a rough idea of ways you can serve it. I believe Skank can give you more specifics on how to serve it...

You have to take out the seeds [not sure if they're digestible... never had them]. I'm not sure when you can get them. I get them from my garden...

They look like this:

Personally, I prefer the long green ones with no yellow color.

My favorite dish is stuffed bittermelon. You hollow them out [but don't cut them in half- cut off the ends and take a spoon and take the seeds out that way] and cut them in 3" pieces. Stuff it with pork and other things to your taste, steam it, and YUM.

Another popular dish with bitter melon is slicing them up and cooking them with scrambled eggs.

However, I *must* repeat that it's really not for everyone... it's for the few, actually. My family loves it, but I haven't found many people who like it. I grew up on it- always loved it, always will. It's *very* bitter, but you can lessen it. I'm not sure how, though. Like I said, I'm one sorry cook.

[Naja]

Bitter melon is best in my personal opinion in a rich pork stock with a bit of bok choy or Napa cabbage, maybe some watercress, plenty of cooked fatty pork or homemade pork sausage in the soup. Yummy.

**tiptoes over to your garden and, er, borrows some bittermelon** I live in Florida too but can't find the stuff in any market.

[Naja]

=It's *very* bitter, but you can lessen it. I'm not sure how, though. Like I said, I'm one sorry cook.

Blanching in boiling water helps a lot. Change the water at least once.

I don't mind it at full strength bitterness though. I'm weird that way.

[SummerLove]

I don't mind it at full strength bitterness though. I'm weird that way.

Same here. Ooh yum... that soup sounds so good! It's been a while since I had any bitter melon in soup.

To think of it, I don't remember seeing bitter melon in stores. Try an oriental market? I don't know where we got the seeds to grow our own bitter melon.

They aren't in season right now I don't think, but we got some small bitter melons. I don't think they'll be coming back anytime soon. My mum cut them up and sauteed them with pork today... good stuff, although it wasn't the best of bitter melons.

[Wyatt]

Looks good - I would like to try it.

Skank - the atkins center has also approved Atkins bars, their bread and muffin mixes, and several other products that would have the Dr. rolling over in his grave. The fact that they give it a ringing endorsement shouldn't mean much according to 90% of this board. Maybe it does to you - that's ok too. Either way, she completed a two week by the book induction, which is all anyone advised that ruffled your feathers.

That soup sounds delicious to me, I am going to the oriental market in search of this fruit tomorrow! Sorry to disturb your thread Summerlove, and I am awful glad to hear you gave it a 2 week clean induction. ha

[Naja]

Skank - the atkins center has also approved Atkins bars, their bread and muffin mixes, and several other products that would have the Dr. rolling over in his grave. The fact that they give it a ringing endorsement shouldn't mean much....

Yes, it should. They make $$$$ selling the bars and shakes and muffin mixes. I seriously doubt that the Atkins Center sells a whole lot of bittermelon. So I don't see any motive to say that a weird ethnic vegetable is okay when it isn't. The frankenfoods they sell, on the other hand....well, you can see what is going on there and why they would say those are okay even when they aren't.

If the Atkins Center confirms that bittermelon is an Induction approved vegetable that just didn't make it onto the list because it isn't exactly popular in North American supermarkets, I'd believe it.

Darn it. This thread has me craving bittermelon. It's been too long since I lived in a place with decent Oriental markets.

[Wyatt]

Naja

I luck out in being close to a huge Oriental Market in Manchester - it is as large as most american chains.

Hopefully I can find it, and finally taste the fruit of such controversy!

[SummerLove]

Which area do you live in, Naja?

I live in Orlando, and there are oriental markets aplenty, if you know where to look. It's been forever since I've been to a Publix...

Although, there aren't as many markets are you find in heavily Asian-populated areas like California. You can find asian markets anywhere in San Jose or Los Angeles!

[shawnee]

we usually make in a soup close to Naja's way with rich pork stock, for example when we bar-b-que ribs we boil 1st & save the water to make a healthy tonic/soup wih garlic, pepper & bittermelon.

Also sliced w/scrambled eggs is an Asian home cooking dish found on the table in several countries.

The seeds are used to make the tea that has diabetic management poperties.

The ones we grow have a completely different flavour than the ones we get at the market. But end of the day its not something people usully love at 1st bite. I think its eaten for its healthy properties in Asia as much as for the 'taste'. I didn't like i at 1st but my Filipina wife & her family eat/serve it several times a week, then I started checking out what it is & well became a convert joining in & now well its just one of our regular dishes, apt to grace the dinner table anyime there's pork & bones in the kitchen

[pammie]

here is the traditional way to eat it here in Japan, and I love this recipe myself....

Goya Champuru (Goya is bittermelon in Japanese)
Ingredients:
½ block firm tofu
1 bittermelon
½ round onion
1 tablespoon canola oil 
1/3 can of tuna
1/3 cup bonito flakes
Sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce (or to taste)
1 egg beaten

Drain tofu and pat dry, squeezing out some of moisture.  Cut bittermelon lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon.  Cut into ¼-inch slices or thinner.  Slice onion thinly.

Heat oil in a frying pan or wok over high heat.  Break tofu into pieces by hand and add to frying pan.  Fry until lightly browned.  Add bittermelon and onion and toss with tofu.  Add tuna and bonito flakes and sprinkle with a little sea salt.  Add beaten egg and soy sauce and stir.  Cook until eggs are set.


Another great way to have it is to simply deep fry it and make "chips" also very popular here in japan

[Naja]

I live about 75 miles from Orlando on the Space Coast, but I rarely go there because I just don't know my way around town and the traffic is insane. I wouldn't mind some directions to a good Asian market there.

[SummerLove]

I'm awful with directions! But you can go to Yahoo or Mapquest and search for directions.

http://www.melroseflowers.com/mkic/asian_markets/asian_markets_3.html#Florida%20Area

Maybe one of the markets on the list is near you? Personally, my fave stores are:

1st Oriental Supermarket
5132 West Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32808
(407) 292-3668
[There's a whole bunch of Asian places around this area]

and this other one whose name has slipped... but it's in the area. If you step out of 1st Oriental Supermarket, look around and you'll see it if you look closely. It's a few yards away. The other store is quite small, but it's more Viet-centric [more comfortable for me]. When I remember, I'll post.

[Desertthorn]

Last year I bought a bitter melon and left it to rot in my refrig cause I wasn't sure what to do with it. Thanks for this tread. I will be "home" soon and you can bet Ill be looking for bitter melon.