Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to soak bitter melon? ›

Soak the melon in cold water for several hours to reduce the bitterness. Place the sliced melon in a large bowl, and cover it with cold water. Allow the melon to soak for 1 to 3 hours, changing the water every hour to remove as much of the bitterness as possible.

Apart from stir-frying, bitter melon can be stuffed with a mixture of minced meat, herbs and spices and then steamed or baked. Alternatively, adding bitter melon to a soup can give it a unique flavour.

I think bitter melon is especially good in Asian dishes, such as stir-fries, egg rolls, and soups. Follow along with this step-by-step guide for how to cook bitter melon below.

Probably, the most famous dish that uses Goya is Goya-Champuru, which is a signature dish in Okinawan cuisine. Salt is added to the thinly cut Goya and it is then stir-fried together with tofu, pork, and egg to temper some of its bitterness.

People with liver and kidney disease: The fiber in bitter melon makes it difficult to digest, can also cause bloating, so people with liver and kidney disease should avoid eating this fruit.

The results of the present and previous studies clearly show that bitter melon, especially Koimidori variety, exhibits a potent liver triglyceride-lowering activity.

Bitter melon extracts are usually well tolerated, but side effects can include abdominal discomfort, heartburn, constipation or diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, headache and hypoglycemia. Rare but potentially severe adverse effects include severe hypoglycemia, coma and seizures.

Bitter melon is linked to lowering the body's blood sugar. This is because the bitter melon has properties that act like insulin, which helps bring glucose into the cells for energy. The consumption of bitter melon can help your cells use glucose and move it to your liver, muscles, and fat.

Milk is always associated with good health, but if you consume milk even after eating bitter gourd vegetable or drinking its juice, then your health may be adversely affected. Eating these two together can cause constipation or burning sensation.

Unlike most melons, bitter melon has a strong, bitter taste and no sweetness. In fact, the fruit gets more bitter as it ripens. Both its green husk and its white insides are edible, and while you can eat bitter melon raw, many people prefer it cooked, because cooking tones down the bitterness.

Why is bitter melon so good for you? ›

Bitter melon is especially rich in vitamin C, an important micronutrient involved in disease prevention, bone formation, and wound healing ( 2 ). It's also high in vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes skin health and proper vision ( 3 ).

As described in its name, this fruit (commonly treated as a vegetable) has a bitter outer skin. In Japanese the bitter melon has been called “nigauri” in most parts of Japan, but “goya” in Okinawa, and recently its name as “goya” has caught on throughout Japan.

Bitter melon aril is the mucilage covering the fruit's seeds which could contain beneficial dietary ingredients. The bright red color of bitter melon aril suggests that it could contain lycopene.

Dosing. Bitter melon has most often been used by adults in doses of 0.5-12 grams by mouth daily for up to 16 weeks. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.

Blanch the bitter melon (or not?)

I highly recommend blanching the bitter melon prior cooking if you're new to bitter melon or do not like a strong bitter taste. Blanching helps reduce both the bitterness and the stir frying time.

Unlike most melons, bitter melon has a strong, bitter taste and no sweetness. In fact, the fruit gets more bitter as it ripens. Both its green husk and its white insides are edible, and while you can eat bitter melon raw, many people prefer it cooked, because cooking tones down the bitterness.

It is also suggested that soaking bitter gourd in boiling salt water helps reduce the bitterness to a large extent. Once you apply salt to a bitter gourd and let it rest, it releases natural juice. It is suggested to squeeze out all the extra juices before cooking to reduce the bitterness.