Thanks :-) !

Marcelo

2) Cut them in 1 1/2" to 2 ", take all the seeds in the center, so that it looks like little tubes. Stuff the center with a mixture of ground pork, vermicelly noodle (thin & clear kind, soak in warm water to soften), dry mushrooms (chopped),chopped green and/or regular onion, salt & pepper (to taste). Cook in any type of stock (chicken, pork or beef) until soften. Serve as a side soup dish. In the same preparation, you can also steam them in a steamer until the bitter melon had soften and serve.

Sorry, but I normally don't cook using measurement. Hope these helps.

Good luck to you.

Natalie

Some people boil the bitter melon quickly first for 2-3 minutes in water (after preparing them), to reduce the bitterness. Discard the water. Then proceed to make the soup in a second boiling in stock.

I have two bitter melon on the table getting ready for lunch - will be a stir fry today though.

Marilee

Chiman

slice them, add lots of salt, squeeze them using a cheese cloth which removes the bitterness, rinse in cold water. Next boil equal parts sugar and vinegar. Let cool. Pour over the bittermelon and store in a sterilized container.

This is an excellent relish to meat and fish.

I went to web to find recipes and the first one I tried, I have used 3 times. It's very good, though I did change it right away. I have added things to it that original version, so it's now my own recipe, and I know I like it more than I would have the original one. That one called for letting cut up melon sit in lots of turmeric and salt, then rinsing it well before cooking, but I have added more to the marinade and I DON'T rinse it. I am afraid that taking away the bitterness might also take away the melon's ability to do it's job. See:
http://milonee.net/bengali_recipes/bitter-melon/bittermelon.html
and some of the links on this page for health benifits of Bitter Melon.

Here is my version of the recipe called:

Bitter Melon Saute

Cut one or more bitter melons in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and the soft centre they sit in. Then cut the melon halves into small pieces. These pieces will be quarter moon shaped. They can be any thickness, but I make them about 1/4 inch thick or smaller. Toss these in lots of turmeric,
cumin, and salt and let them sit for an hour or more.

While they are marinading, slice an onion, several good sized garlic cloves, some leek, some fresh mushrooms and some protein, be it pork, chicken, turkey, tofu or maybe even some kind of fish.

After the marinading is done, saute only the melon pieces until they start to soften, then add the rest of the ingredients and saute till the onions are clear. Depending on what protein you are using, you might want to add that a little later, but before the onions are clear.

When done, just serve on a plate. You have both protein and veggies, so that could be your meal, or you could have other things with it. I like just that as my meal perhaps with some oat cakes or other biscuit or rice, etc.

Enjoy!! I sure do.

I am now also curious and anxious to try some of the other offerings from this discussion.

Happy New Year all.

Jeanne

They also have a lot of information on growing bitter melon.

http://yourhomegardenblog.com/vegetable-gardening/how-to-grow-exotic-and-delicious-bitter-melons-on-your-backyard

I wonder why one want to eat something so bitter?
I guess it is a tradition and growing up with it.
Bitter taste is a natural warning that "DO NOT EAT IT"

I have tried it few times. First time, after soaking sliced BM for two day in salt water, Finally I boiled it. It was stil too bitter for me. I throuw it away. The second and third times I just buried the sliced BM in salt, extracted lots of bitterness by squizing it. Then I made an omlet combined with tomato and garlic. It was ok then.

Bitter is good for your health ;-)

Most asian countries eat Bitter melon for thousands of years, as a common veg, as europe is to carrots.

karela curries

http://www.khanapakana.com/RecipeSearch.aspx?s=Karela

http://www.indianfoodforever.com/punjabi/karela-masaledar.html

http://www.indiacurry.com/vegcurry/bittergourdstuffed.htm

http://www.recipezaar.com/Stuffed-Karela-106391