Bitter or sweet, it’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?
It was an accident. The gourds (aka bitter melons) were lying on the counter for longer than intended. Blame it on inertia or lack of inspiration, the lush green beauties sat there placidly peering back at me every morning as I poured my morning cuppa. Until I couldn’t ignore them anymore. Not if I wanted to eat them while they were still …. fresh. I hoped they were still fresh.
When I finally made the first cut, lor! it looked like a plum, ripe, baby tomatoes had taken up residence within the gourd! Rich and vibrant orange-red pods stared back up at me and for a while. I just stared back. I had no idea what I was looking at. There were little hard-cased seeds within the pods. The rest of the fruit looked edible and still firm. I worried that I had a bad fruit, or some kind of infestation had taken root. When I calmed down enough to do a search on the trusty internet, I learnt that the fruit had just matured and the capsicum-colored portions were in fact edible.
The contrasting colors made for some really fun pictures. I wish I could take credit for it. Truth is, it was all happenstance. In the end, accident or not, isn’t it a matter of perspective?
Playtime over, it was time to focus on dinner. A quick stir-fry with eggs made for a healthy, side dish that is definitely not bitter!
Tips:
- Select gourds that are not too mature, that are still greenish-yellow in color for less bitter-tasting results. Look for specimens with grooves that are farther apart.
- Soak in salted water before cooking to remove some of the bitterness.
- 2 bitter melons, sliced into ½" thick rings
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ tsp fish (or soy sauce, if vegan)
- Slice melons, removing the spongy pith if desired. Soak slices in salted water for a few minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
- Fry garlic till it starts to turn golden.
- Add melons and stir-fry over high heat till it looks slightly translucent, about half to 1 minute.
- Lower to medium heat. Pour in beaten egg in a slow stream around the pan. Gently turn the ingredients in the pan and let it sit for about 10 seconds.
- Add soy sauce or fish sauce, adjusting for taste. Stir a few more times, taking care not to break up the eggs too much.
Grooves should be farther apart than narrow and tight.
Soak in some salted water for a few minutes, rinse and pat dry before cooking.
More ways to use:
Braised Pork Ribs with Black Beans and Bitter Melon brings back memories from a time when I was too young to appreciate bitter melons. I thought they were, well, bitter. It was likely more psychological than an attestation of taste. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below 👇 !
Then follow up with Glutinous Rice Balls with Black Sesame Paste and you’re golden. Go on, amaze them!
On the bookshelf:
I don’t usually share books that I am not done reading, but this one is going to take a while. “Black Boy Out of Time: A Memoir” by Hari Ziyad is an biography of a black boy growing up with Hindu Hari Kṛṣṇa and Muslim parents, along with nineteen siblings. If that is not a mouthful, I’ll have another bitter melon. It is the story of boy whose life combines several different worlds all at once that are so different from what I am used to that it takes time to absorb and assimilate. It is not a difficult read but I can only make progress in small doses. “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” – Neal Donald Walsch
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