Some people find the bitterness of bitter melon difficult to accept, and getting everyone to love it is no easy task. The bitterness of bitter melon is mostly found in the bitter melon sac. Simply remove the white membrane inside the sac and use four methods to remove the bitterness.

Different Varieties of Bitter Melon

There are many varieties of bitter melon. Based on their color, they can be roughly divided into four types: white jade bitter melon, large green bitter melon, powder green bitter melon, and mountain bitter melon. Each type has slightly different bitterness levels.

1. White jade bitter melon: This is a common type eaten in households. It is white and long, and becomes crystal clear after cooking. This variety has a milder bitterness.
2. Large green bitter melon: It has a dark green appearance and a stronger bitterness.
3. Powder green bitter melon: It has a light green appearance and a bitterness that is between white jade and large green bitter melons.
4. Wild Bitter Melon: The fruit is smaller in shape, and the protrusions are more irregular, ranging from round to pointed. It is the most bitter of the four types of bitter melon.

Why Bitter Melon is Bitter

The bitterness of bitter melon comes from the presence of quinine and picarcin. Most of the bitterness is found in the bitter melon sac. Completely remove the sac and seeds before cooking, and scrape off the white membrane from the sac with a spoon to greatly reduce the bitterness.

If you’re still worried, try the following cooking techniques to further reduce the bitterness:

How to Remove the Bitterness of Bitter Melon

1. Blanching or Icing to Remove Bitterness

Both blanching and icing can remove bitterness. When making a cold bitter melon salad, quickly blanch the bitter melon before immersing it in ice water. This not only makes the bitter melon crispier, but also reduces the bitterness.

2. Thinly Slice Bitter Melon

Thinly sliced ​​bitter melon absorbs flavor more easily than chunks. Whether pickled or cooked, seasonings can be used to adjust and mask the bitterness.

For seasoning, use strong flavors like soy sauce, fermented black beans, and chili peppers, or sweet and sour seasonings like sugar, honey, sour plums, yuzu sauce, and orange jam to mitigate the bitterness.

3. Marinate with Salt

In addition to thinly slicing, quickly marinating with salt to release the water and then rinsing off the salt can also remove the bitterness and reduce the flavor.

4. Ingredient Combinations

Use different cutting methods and ingredient combinations to avoid a mouthful of bitter melon. For bitter melon scrambled eggs, the aroma of the eggs can be combined with other ingredients like carrots, black fungus, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, and sliced ​​meat to mask the bitterness.

Bitter melon filling is made by stuffing bitter melon with ground pork, preserved mustard greens, and other ingredients, then steaming it. The resulting savory broth allows the bitter melon to absorb the broth, resulting in a relatively subtle bitter taste. If you’re still worried, try stewing it with soy sauce or ragù.

Bitter melon has a heat-clearing effect, and moderate consumption can actually be beneficial during the unbearable heat of summer. Nutrients like vitamin B1 and C, as well as bitter melon extract, can help lower blood sugar. Perhaps you’ll find this slight bitterness acceptable and even enjoy it.