Though it is a fruit, there is nothing sweet about goya–also known as bitter melon or bitter gourd, it resembles a very bumpy cucumber and is in the same family as pumpkins, squash and gourds. It is traditionally eaten in Japan, China, Vietnam, India and other South and Southeast Asian countries.
this is the Vietnamese variety of bitter gourd
C. says that while he was in Okinawa (where goya is very popular) people said the reason Okinawans live so long is because they eat lots of pork and lots of goya! I can’t verify this, but it sounds reasonable enough, I suppose. One dish that is very popular there is goya champuru which is a stir-fried dish that features goya and often pork, eggs, onion or garlic and other seasonings.
This fruit may be the sort of taste that needs to be acquired, but I do like it, although I certainly didn’t grow up eating it. It’s bitter, but the bitterness is more of an after-taste to me, and it has a refreshing quality that I like. Also, I’m not really adverse to bitterness. If you’re wondering why people think this fruit is so healthy, the bitterness could be a big part of the reason: bitter things are often good for stimulating the liver, which can encourage detoxification. Goya is also thought to be a good treatment for adult-onset diabetes, as it can help to lower blood sugar.
the seeds
To prepare goya, you start by splitting it lengthwise and using a spoon to scrape out the seeds and white pulp from the middle. Then you slice it thinly, and it is usually recommended to salt it and then rinse it, or just soak in cold water, to get rid of some of the bitterness.
I haven’t tried goya champuru, but I have made a sort of goya quick-pickle called goya namashi a few times. This blog called Champuru.net has a recipe for goya namashi, and one for goya champuru.
To make a simplified goya namashi I prepared the goya as above, and then stirred in some rice vinegar and mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine). After chilling in the fridge for awhile, it’s ready to eat, and should keep for a day or two.
The way I most often consume this funny fruit is, perhaps not surprisingly, as a tea. I buy it at the Vietnamese grocery store, and I don’t find it at all bitter. It is made of roasted goya, and has a toasty taste.
Have you tried this bitter gourd?
I find it especially appealing in this picture:
it looks like a little, green lion face, I think.
You can find more information about bitter melon on these sites:
Okinawa Hai
The National Bitter Melon Council
Have a great weekend!
love,
meg
Tags: Favourite Ingredients, fruit, Japanese, pickles, Tea, vegetables, Vietnamese
The last picture makes me happy, too. I love your blog! Probably because I spend so much time reading, drinking tea, and cooking, and I like reading about someone else doing the same sorts of things
I volunteer at a foodbank that makes food boxes for some 100 families every Monday. We get most of our food from Moisson Montreal, and quite recently we got bitter melons from them…! No one (except me) knew what they were, or how to cook them. I do wonder if any of the families we gave them to ate them or not. I find they are way too bitter if not prepared properly.
While I’m talking about it, here’s a shameless plug. If you are interested in that sort of thing, you should definitely come help out. We can always use an extra pair of hands!
Mary: Thank you so much, you’re very sweet! It makes my day to hear that enjoy reading my little posts!
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only person spending my days this way…
Sharon: I’m surprised to hear that they were giving away bitter melon at the foodbank. If I hadn’t been warned about their bitterness, I think I would’ve assumed they weren’t ripe or something along those lines. They are popular in Indian curries and a few Vietnamese dishes, so hopefully someone knew what to do with them. Regarding your ‘foodbank plugging’: I’d love to hear more, if you could email me some more information about it (where it is, specific hours, etc.) I’d be happy to think about volunteering! Thanks again for reading.