Review of Chinese Bitter Melon (Momordiki)
Many gardeners enjoy exotic fruits and vegetables. Unusual appearance, original taste, the desire to decorate their plot - these and other reasons inspire summer residents to grow various types of plants, including those from the pumpkin family. One of its brightest representatives is the Momordica melon.
She has a spectacular appearance, which is why she attracts attention. But few people know why it is grown and what properties melon has. From the article you will learn why gardeners become its fans and grow it with pleasure.
What kind of variety is this
Momordica is a herbaceous climbing vine that belongs to the pumpkin family. It is most widespread in Asian countries. In different parts of the world it is called differently: bitter melon, Indian pomegranate, crazy cucumber.
They grow it not only in the garden, but also at home, on the balcony. The plant is successfully used to decorate walls.
Brief history of origin
The homeland of this rare and unusual plant is tropical forests with high humidity. For many centuries it has been grown for food or medicinal purposes.
In ancient times in China, melon was considered the imperial fruit - only members of the imperial family were allowed to eat it. In India, they believed that this plant belonged to the gods and used it for sacred rites.
What does it look like
Momordica has beautiful vines regardless of the stage of development.It has long stems reaching 2 m in length and large light green leaves. The flowers are bright yellow, their smell vaguely reminiscent of the scent of jasmine.
The plant produces large fruits. They can reach 25 cm in length and 7 cm in diameter. Dense tubercles resembling warts form on the top of the fruit. Initially, the fruits are light green in color, but when ripe they turn yellow-orange.
Interesting. As the melons grow, they crack and open: in this form they look like lily petals. The color of the fruit inside is dark ruby, the seeds are similar to watermelon.
What is useful, composition and properties
In countries where Momordica has been grown for a long time, they noticed that this plant has many medicinal properties. It is used as a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory agent. Eating fruits lowers blood sugar levels due to the charantine they contain.
Melon is used to treat measles, scabies, arthritis and asthma. It serves as an ingredient in preparations used to eliminate the effects of insect and snake bites. Parts of this plant are believed to help people fight certain types of cancer.
Melon contains amino acids. Bitter Momordica is rich in phenols, alkaloids, vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, resins and essential oils.
Melon is a dietary product: 100 g contains only 15 kcal.
Can you eat Chinese bitter melon?
Momordica is edible; all parts of this unusual plant are eaten.
What do fruits taste and smell like?
It is best to use unripe Momordica fruits, as they have no bitterness. When the fruit ripens, it becomes bitter and unsuitable for eating.To get rid of bitterness, melons are immersed in salt water and left to soak for several hours.
During this time, change the salt water several times. The seeds of this plant are also eaten. When the fruit ripens, they acquire a sweet taste and become suitable for consumption even raw.
Attention! The leaves can be added to food as spices. They give the dish a slightly bitter taste and sourness.
How to choose
The first thing you should pay attention to is that you should buy melon only during the ripening period, from September to October.
The correct choice depends on the degree of maturity. The fruits of ripe Momordica are orange or pink in color, the pulp has a bitter taste. To eat it at this stage of ripeness, the fruit must be pre-treated. Therefore, it is better to choose light yellow or green melon when purchasing - they are more suitable for eating and have a fresh, sweet taste.
How to use
Due to its extraordinary taste and medicinal properties, Momordica is widely used in cooking and traditional medicine.
In cooking
Famous recipes include bitter melon salad and stuffed Momordica. The pulp, which is not fully ripe, goes well with dishes of meat, vegetables, fish and poultry. Melon is often used in desserts, salads, jams. It is fried, boiled, pickled, canned.
In folk medicine
The plant is used to prepare ointments, tinctures and decoctions. The most widespread are tinctures and teas from Momordica.
To prepare tea, melon seeds are crushed in a blender and poured with a small amount of boiling water. After this, boil for 10 minutes and leave to brew for an hour. The resulting tea is filtered. Use this decoction no more than four times a day.Tea is effective for fever as a diuretic.
To prepare the tincture, the fruits are cleared of seeds, finely chopped and placed in a container. It is important to fill all the free space with pulp. Then add vodka. The jar is closed and placed in a cold place for two days. The use of this tincture is useful in the treatment of colds.
If an ordinary melon is bitter
The melon harvest ripens in late summer. Usually the fruits are sweet and juicy, but it also happens that they taste bitter.
There are several possible reasons for the bitter taste of melon:
- Bitterness may be caused by the growing region. If a melon was grown in the northern region, then due to insufficient light and heat it could become bitter.
- This taste can be caused by presence of nitrates, which were used as mineral fertilizers to accelerate growth and control pests. If you apply a lot of fertilizers, the effect of their use will become negative and will give bitterness to the fruits.
- Fusarium. There are varieties specially bred by breeders that are not susceptible to this disease. But many melons still suffer from this disease. Fusarium enters the plant through the root system or develops in infected seeds.
Is it possible to eat
Eat melon Not with bitterness. As a rule, these are fruits infected with the disease, and they do not provide any benefit to the human body - and, moreover, they can cause harm.
Conclusion
The amazing Momordica melon is a real find for those who love to grow not only healthy and tasty, but also unusual fruits.
Now you know that not all of them are suitable for consumption — when choosing a ripe melon, pay attention to what stage of ripeness it is at.Momordica is used not only in cooking, but also for medicinal purposes. However, remember - if melon is bitter, then you should not include it in your diet.