Gourds

Edible members of the gourd family are by no means limited to squash. Bitter melon, also called balsam pear or bitter gourd, is native to tropical India and cultivated in other warm regions, including the United States. Resembling its relative the cucumber, bitter melon has light green, warty skin and pale pearly flesh with large brown seeds that are similar to eggplant. It must be salted and sometimes blanched as well, to draw out the bitter juices. Bitter melon is often sautéed or stir-fried in oil with hot spices, or braised in a spicy sauce. Spiny bitter melon, smaller and spikier, is prepared in the same way. Winter melon—an Asian specialty—has smoother skin and a more swollen shape. The flesh is bland, but when seeded and hollowed out the vegetable makes a spectacular container for soup or stew.