Embrace the Bitter with Recipe for Stir-Fry Bitter Melon

By Brittany P. Anderson

You’ve probably come across bitter melonʻs mass of coiled tendrils, deeply lobed green leaves, and small yellow flowers. Their distinctive warty oblong light green fruits hanging on the vine waiting to be picked. Bitter melon is covered in bumps like Braille holding onto ancient recipes of tinctures in its skin–all you have to do is touch it to unlock the mysteries.

Originating in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, it has been used for nutrition and medicinal purposes for centuries. Since around the 14th century, juice of fresh bitter melon pods has been used as a bitter tonic to aid in digestion.

One would expect a sweet flesh with the melon moniker, but bitter melon, Momordica charantia, is very true to its name. It is that bitterness that makes bitter melon so unique. 

At first bite, bitter melon is crunchy with a taste similar to green pepper. The bitterness, much like baking chocolate and bitter beer, lingers along the sides of the mouth. Marinating in salt, blanching in saltwater, and steaming are techniques to tone down extreme bitterness, making the experience more palatable. Older melons tend to have a more intense bitter taste in comparison to those picked younger.

You can find bitter melon in grocery stores, farmersʻ markets, and even growing along parking lot fences throughout Hawai‘i Island. The plants are easily propagated from seed and can grow with or without trellis. The trimmings of young vines are also a popular vegetable added to soups and stews.

Bitter melon can be daunting to those unfamiliar with its flavor profile, but with a little practice, it can quickly become a staple. The flavors of this stir-fry bitter melon recipe compliments fatty cuts of pork, fish, tofu, and shrimp.

Bitter Melon Stir Fry

3 medium bitter melons
¾ tbsp sea salt for marinating
2 tbsp coconut oil
1½ tsp garlic minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
Optional: Hawaiian hot pepper, minced

Sauce
½ tsp sugar or honey
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp salt

Method
Wash bitter melons thoroughly. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop seeds out, discard. Slice the bitter melons into uniform 1/4 inch thick slices and place them in a nonreactive bowl, then sprinkle with salt and toss to distribute the salt evenly. Set aside, allow bitter melons to sit for approximately 10 minutes. Heat a skillet on high heat. Rinse bitter melon in a colander, shaking excess water off. Next, turn skillet temperature to medium heat, add one tablespoon coconut oil and immediately add the bitter melon. Stir quickly and add the garlic and ginger to the pan, and the remaining tablespoon of oil. Turn heat to low, just enough to keep the skillet warm. If you are adding hot peppers, do so at this step. In a separate bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients. Transfer the garlic, ginger, bitter melons to a serving dish, drizzle with the sauce, and toss it to coat. It can be served hot or cold. Enjoy!