Better Than Pens
I came across this site for The National Bitter Melon Council - "an organization devoted to the cultivation of a vibrant, diverse community through the promotion and distribution of Bitter Melon." From their site:Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) is a member of the Cucurbitaceae (gourd) family, and a relative of squash, watermelon, muskmelon, and cucumber. The tropical vine is a tender perennial. The fruit of this plant lives up to its name - it tastes very bitter. The surface/skin is bumpy and coated with glossy light to dark green skin. The inside of the melon is filled with spongy pulp whose color ranges from white to light green covering the seeds. Younger melons are seedless (more like the inside of a cucumber) and are generally more bitter. Ripe ones (outside: lighter green with hints of yellow; inside: bright, bright red) are much milder.
I haven't had any bittermelon in years. My mom would crave bittermelon once in a while and i would watch her prepare it by scraping off the bumpy, bright green skin. Naturally, i hated it as a kid but nowadays it's good as part of a dish. Note i said part of a dish; i can't imagine eating only sauteed bittermelon, even with strong seasonings! It's very bitter but also fresh tasting, but after a few mouthfuls the back of your tongue is going insane from the taste. It's so bitter it tastes like ballpoint pen ink, which i once had the unfortunate luck to taste. PS: Don't suck on the ends of open pens, even if they have pom pom snowmen stuck on them from your secret Santa in 3rd grade.
Even though i'm essentially complaining about how bitter bittermelon is, it's actually quite good. But as part of a dish!
posted by beXn @ 2:07 AM
4 Comments:
Where (and when) do you get it? I've never noticed in at the Greenmarkets.
I don't recall ever seeing it at Greenmarkets either. It can usually be found at Chinese markets or on the street in Chinatown. I'm sure markets in Flushing would have it. I think i might have even seen it at Whole Foods once!
The only way we used to eat it was sauteed with a little black bean sauce. I've had it as an ingredient in mixed vegetable dishes with a light sauce, too. I wasn't aware of all the other cuisines that use bittermelon - i just assumed it was a Chinese vegetable!
Hmmm. Cool - I'll have to keep my eyes peeled.
BTW, I've emailed the ARROW CSA several times now, and they haven't responded. I'd like to do the Ravenswood one, but its so far away! Did you join? (I'm so over UO - even tho it makes me sad to say so.)
Not yet. I've been meaning to check both out but i've been busy with the usual out-of-town guests and other August things.
And yes, we're getting more and more upset with Urban Organics. Our last box had 2 moldy pineapples, 6 mushed and spotted bananas and sour plums. Plus no one has replied to our numerous phone call complaints. Nothing like last year when we loved everything from the box. They've seriously gone downhill.
I've been meaning to check out that LIC greenmarket you mentioned a while back. Have you been frequenting that? I don't want to trudge into Manhattan everytime i want green tomatoes.
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