Prawns with Bitter Melon

Name: Prawns with Bitter Melon
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves (optional); ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds; 4 curry leaves; 1 tablespoon ghee; pinch of sugar; 1 tablespoon ground coriander; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon chilli powder; 4-5 green chillies; 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) bitter melon, peeled 300 g (10½ oz) tiger prawns (shrimp); 1 tablespoon oil; ½ tablespoon ground turmeric

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Food of India

By Priya Wickramasinghe

Published 2005

About

Most asians eat bitter melon because its bitter taste is one of the five sought-after flavours: bitter, sweet, sour, salty and aromatic. When bitter melon is degorged, the bitterness is lessened. Paler or yellower ones are less bitter but more fibrous.

Ingredients

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) bitter melon, peeled 300

Asia
India
Side dish
Pescatarian
Gluten-free
Spicy

Method

Slice the bitter melon in half and scoop out any seeds and membrane. Slice into half-moon shapes 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. Sprinkle with salt and degorge in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain, then dry