sometimes silence is more eloquent than words.

bitter melons. wonderful

COMMON NAMES
KuGua, Foo Gua (Chinese); Springkomkommer (Dutch); Bitter Gourd (English); Ampalaya (Filipino); Assorossie (French); Wunder-Balsampfel (German); Karela (Hindi); Pare Pahit (Indonesian); Balsamini Lunghi (Italian); Tsuru Reishi (Japanese); Peria Katak (Malay); Balsamina (Spanish); Mara (Thai); Moup Dang (Vietnamese)

Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Momordica
Species: Charantia
Synonyms: Momordica chinensis, M. elegans, M. indica, M. operculata, M. sinensis, Sicyos fauriei

Health and Nutrient Benefits
Bitter Melons are rich in iron. They have twice the beta carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, twice the potassium of bananas, and contain Vitamins A, C, B1 to B3, Phosphorus and good dietary fiber.

As for its medicinal value, at least three different constituents in Bitter Melon have been reported to have hypoglycemic (blood sugar lowering) or other actions of potential benefit in treating diabetes mellitus. In traditional Chinese medicine, Bitter melon is used as an appetite stimulant and as a treatment for gastrointestinal infection and against breast cancer. Bitter Melon may prove to be a very effective herbal remedy against diabetes! It has been proven to increase the number of beta cells (those which produce insulin) in the pancreas. Bitter Melon seems to be supportive in HIV treatment, several proteins (such as alpha – and beta momocharin) have HIV inhibitory effects in vitro. However, they are not cytotoxic.

Bitter Melon’s bitterness comes from the high concentration of quinine it contains, which incidentally, is the reason why it is regarded by Asians, as well as Panamanians and Columbians, as a valuable agent for preventing and treating malaria.

Herbal Properties and Actions:Main Actions

~ kills bacteria~ kills viruses~ kills cancer cells~ kills leukemia cells~ prevents tumors~ treats diabetes~ reduces blood sugar~ reduces blood pressure~ lowers body temperature

Other Actions
~ reduces inflammation ~ fights free radicals~ enhances libido~ cleanses blood~ detoxifies~ expels worms~ balances hormones~ enhances immunity~ mildly laxative~ promotes milk flow

Contraindications:

• Bitter melon traditionally has been used as an abortive and has been documented with weak uterine stimulant activity; therefore, it is contraindicated during pregnancy.
• This plant has been documented to reduce fertility in both males and females and should therefore not be used by those undergoing fertility treatment or seeking pregnancy.
• The active chemicals in bitter melon can be transferred through breast milk; therefore, it is contraindicated in women who are breast feeding.
• All parts of bitter melon (especially the fruit and seed) have demonstrated in numerous in vivo studies that they lower blood sugar levels. As such, it is contraindicated in persons with hypoglycemia. Diabetics should check with their physicians before using this plant and use with caution while monitoring their blood sugar levels regularly as the dosage of insulin medications may need adjusting.
• Although all parts of the plant have demonstrated active antibacterial activity, none have shown activity against fungi or yeast. Long-term use of this plant may result in the die-off of friendly bacteria with resulting opportunistic overgrowth of yeast (Candida). Cycling off the use of the plant (every 21-30 days for one week) may be warranted, and adding probiotics to the diet may be beneficial if this plant is used for longer than 30 days.

Drug Interactions: Bitter melon may potentiate insulin and anti-diabetic drugs and cholesterol-lowering drugs.

1. Like eggplant, Bitter Melon can be salted and rested to remove the bitterness from its flesh. Core the melon, dust it medium to generously with salt and let it rest for 10 minutes. Rinse the slices and prepare as you wish.

2. Another way to reduce the bitter melon’s strong flavor is by blanching. You do this by coring it, slicing, and boiling in a pan of lightly salted water. After 1 minute, remove and drop in ice water. Blanching will not only remove some of the bitterness; it will also brighten the beautiful green color!

3. One more hint: Lightly pickling the bitter melon also helps to remove the strong flavor. For 1 bitter melon: Bring 1 cup of white vinegar to a boil. Add 2 Tblsp. Sugar, 2 tsp. Salt, and 1 tsp Turmeric. Bring all to a boil and add bitter melon slices. Boil for 2 minutes, remove, drain and cool. Prepare as you wish.

Another suggestion when developing your own recipe is to consider is that bitter melon is an excellent ingredient to use with strong flavors: spices, rich sauces, fermented flavors. With spicy foods, bitter melon acts as a coolant, with rich sauces such as coconut milk and curry, hummus, and even in ice cream, the flavor balances the natural oils in these other ingredients acting as a palette cleanser.

Some popular ways of cooking it is to stuff the melon with spiced meats and serve with a coconut curry sauce, sauté it with onion, red pepper and prepare with scrambled eggs or in an omelet, or as a stir fry with fermented black beans and chicken.

AMPALAYA (BITTER MELON) OMLETTE

Slice onion, set aside.
Pound garlic, set aside
Slice tomato, set aside
Beat eggs, set aside.

Slice ampalaya (bitter melon) into halves, then slice crosswise. If ampalaya is very bitter, you may want to reduce the bitterness by rubbing salt on the ampalaya slices, let it stand for awhile, then squeeze the juice out of the slices.

Heat oil on a frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add garlic and onion. Once the garlic is brown and the onion transparent, add beaten eggs. Let it spread on the pan. Immediately add the tomato and ampalaya slices to the egg. Fold.

Serve with white rice or fried rice.

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posted by quinny-kin @ 10:45 AM