Momordica charantia ‘Green’ – Bitter Melon

Description

Momordica charantia (commonly called bitter melon; bitter apple; bitter gourd; bitter squash; balsam-pear) is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit. Its many varieties differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the fruit.

Bitter melon originated in Africa where it was a dry-season staple food of ?Kung hunter-gatherers. Wild or semi-domesticated variants spread across Asia in prehistory, and it was likely fully domesticated in Southeast Asia. It is widely used in the cuisines of East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.