National Bitter Melon Council

Cooking and Eating Bitter Melon:

Q: I don’t like the taste of Bitter Melon. What should I do?
A: Have no fear! Sometimes it can take awhile to grow accustomed to the taste of Bitter Melon. If you’d like to develop a taste for this bitter gourd, make sure that you try it cooked the first few times you try it. Raw Bitter Melon can be a challenge for even the most seasoned palates. Secondly, when you are enjoying your first dish of Bitter Melon, make sure that you try more than three bites. The foreign flavor can be off-putting at first, but it’s foreignness becomes less unfamiliar and more and of a pleasure as you continue the dish.

Q: I don’t like bitter flavors, does that mean I can’t eat Bitter Melon?
A: Not at all! Bitter Melon can be prepared in a variety of ways, and not all of them end up with a strong bitter taste. In dishes where the gourd is not one of the featured ingredients, the aeromatic ‘green’ taste of the Bitter Melon can instead serve as a refreshing palate cleanser. One example of this would be the flavor results of raspberry Bitter Melon ice cream for instance. Another example of Bitter Melon’s sweet potential is a natural sweetener made from Bitter Melon extract that is currently being marketed for diabetic patients (LINK HERE)

Q: How do I select a Bitter Melon to buy?
A: Look for firm, unblemished melons that are from 5 to 12 inches long. Firmer Bitter Melons that are more green in color will have a more bitter flavor. See our web page on [LINK HERE] Selecting Bitter Melon for more detailed information.

Q: What is the best way to prepare Bitter Melon if I am trying it for the first time?
A: Start by washing and seeding the Bitter Melon. This gourd is commonly stuffed, curried or pickled, though it can be prepared in all kinds of ways and is suitable for any dish from drinks to dessert. See our web page on [LINK HERE] Cooking Bitter Melon for more detailed information.

Growing Bitter Melon:
Q: Where can I find seeds in my area so I can grow them?
A-1: Often you can find Bitter Melon seed packets in Asian markets, usually found in areas with large Asian immigrant populations. Bitter Melon seed starts can be found as well, sometimes sold in early spring and summer at different farmer’s market stands. We’ve heard of great seedlings that are sold by Hmong farmers at farm stands at the St. Paul Farmer’s Market in St. Paul, Minnesota. Both of these methods of seed and seedling selection offers the opportunity to develop a more personal relationship with Bitter Melon – talking with these growers can be a great way to get and share growing and cooking hints.
A-2: If you are not near such areas, you can also order them online via seed suppliers. We have found Kitazawa Seed Company (link) to be very reliable. Evergreen Seed Co (check!) is another company which we love for its wide variety of Bitter Melon seed strains.

Q: How can I make the Bitter Melons I grow in my garden more bitter?
A: First try picking them off the vine when they’re not-quite mature (they should give only slightly to the touch and when cut open the seeds casings and inner core should still be white.) Secondly, when you’re growing the plants, try talking to your seedlings about any bitter feelings you have. Though undocumented and merely a hunch, we are currently exploring the potential for increased flavor potency from Bitter Melons grown by bitter farmers. So far our findings have been inconclusive.

Bitter Melon General:
Q: Where can I buy Bitter Melon?
A: We’re asked this question quite often! With our base in Boston, MA, we are most familiar with places to find Bitter Melon in this area. To become more informed about other places to buy Bitter Melon around the globe, we need your help! If you have heard of farm or growing locations, supermarkets, and farm stands where fresh Bitter Melon is sold, please let us know and we will add it to the list of locations on the ‘FIND” page of our site. For a more general hint of where to find Bitter Melon in your area, it is usually grown and sold in markets and farm stands in areas with large Asian populations.

Q: I like Bitter Melon, but my friends don’t. How can I get them to try it?
A: Make it sweet or sneak it into a dish without their knowing. Then, when you reveal that Bitter Melon was a key ingredient, they’ll be surprised by their own appreciation! Drink recipes are always an easy first introduction (try making mascerated Bitter Melon syrup) or experiment on your own. When you do, try different preparation methods that soften the flavor. Dehydrating, spice-rubs, blanching, and tempura-frying are all ways to make this gourd more accessible.

The NBMC:

Q: What does it mean to become a member of the National Bitter Melon Council?
A: The possibilities are endless! We welcome all levels of membership, and the level of engagement is up to you. We’re excited to build a network of the flavor curious and culturally intrigued and one way to do that is through the membership network. Please let us know what you would like your member experience to be. We’re excited to find out and to help make it as rich as it can be with the resources that we have.

Q:Are you guys for real?
A: We’re certainly committed. What do you think?