Bitter Melon

APPEARANCE: Corrugated skin earmarks this vegetable; it varies in color from deep green to almost white (having been blanched on the vine). Typical specimens measure 4 to 5 inches long, although there are miniatures barely 2 inches and behemoths up to 10 inches in length.

QUALITY: In general, select firm, small melons in hopes that they will be crisp and less bitter. Larger, ripe melons — identified by bright red seeds inside — tend to be softer and more bitter.

COMMENTS: Indians curry it; Sri Lankans pickle it; Indonesians serve it in salads. Throughout the Asian tropics, it is ... bitter. For some palates this is an unforgivable sin. For those educated in Asian nutritional theory, however, it is a valuable virtue, since bitterness is considered one of the fundamental flavors essential to a balanced diet.