Bitter Melon Leaves
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Description/Taste
Bitter Melon leaves vary in size from small to medium, depending on growing conditions and stage of maturity, and average 2 to 8 centimeters in length and 4 to 10 centimeters in diameter. The leaves grow alternately along thin climbing vines, and pale green tendrils form between the greens. Each leaf is comprised of 3 to 6 lobes with jagged, serrated edges, and the leaves are slightly folded or curved, as the vines are often dense with foliage. Bitter Melon leaves are typically light to dark green and have a semi-textured, soft, and pliable feel. The surface is also covered in prominent veining, and raw leaves will have a crisp and tender consistency. Bitter Melon leaves are edible raw or cooked, but only young leaves are eaten fresh. Mature, larger leaves often become too intense in flavor raw and are cooked to develop a milder, grassy, bitter, and green taste.
Seasons/Availability
Bitter Melon leaves are available year-round.
Current Facts
Bitter Melon leaves, botanically classified as Momordica charantia, are the foliage of an herbaceous vining plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. The climbing vines can extend 4 to 5 meters in length and are cultivated worldwide for their edible leaves and fruits. Bitter Melon leaves are used in medicinal and culinary preparations, and the greens are favored for their milder taste, considered less bitter than the fruits. Historically, Bitter melon leaves were a secondary crop to the fruits, and the plants, in general, have been grown for centuries for ornamental, culinary, and medicinal use. The species’ Latin name, Momordica, roughly means “to bite,” a descriptor for the leaf’s serrated edges. It is said that the serrated nature looks like a bite was taken from the leaf. Bitter Melon leaves are not commercially grown on a broad scale, but the leaves are foraged from wild and home garden plants and are valued for their bitter taste, nutritional properties, and tender, crisp texture.
Nutritional Value
Bitter Melon leaves are a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, vitamin C to boost the immune system, calcium to build strong bones and teeth, and other nutrients, including iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and magnesium. The leaves are used in natural medicines worldwide for their anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-microbial properties. Bitter Melon leaves can be chopped and mixed into water to manage blood sugar, or they are made into a paste and topically applied to skin irritations, allergies, and rashes. Bitter Melon leaves are given to help remedy worm infections, malaria, and high blood pressure in the Caribbean and parts of Africa. Bitter Melon leaves are also steeped in boiling water worldwide as a tea and tonic. It is said Bitter Melon plants acquire their bitter taste from natural compounds known as cucurbitacins. It is worth noting Bitter Melon leaves should not be consumed if pregnant or in large quantities, as an excess of greens may cause muscle contractions in the body.
Applications
Bitter Melon leaves have a bitter, grassy, and green taste suited for cooked preparations. The leaves are not typically consumed fresh in culinary preparations, as they may be too bitter for some palates, but young leaves may be occasionally used. Bitter Melon leaves are typically served with tendrils attached, and cooking will slightly lessen the bitterness. The leaves and tendrils can be simmered into soups, curries, and stews, a favored preparation in Burma and China, or they can be stir-fried with meats such as pork. Bitter Melon leaves are also cooked and served with mung beans and rice in a dish called ginisang monggo in the Philippines. In India, Bitter Melon leaves are boiled with fish and spices, combined with sauteed onions and rice, or added to dishes with potatoes. The leaves can also be dipped in batter and fried whole or mixed into various dal recipes. Bitter Melon leaves pair well with aromatics such as garlic, onion, ginger, and chile peppers, turmeric, lemongrass, fish sauce, potatoes, tomatoes, pineapples, and mangoes. Whole, unwashed Bitter Melon leaves should be immediately consumed after harvest for the best quality and flavor. The leaves can also be placed in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Bitter Melon leaves and fruits have been traditionally incorporated into Ayurvedic remedies throughout India. The fruits have often overshadowed the leaves when used in culinary preparations, but in natural medicines, leaves are a popular anti-inflammatory. Some home gardeners only grow the plants for their young shoots and leaves, and the vine is often referred to as having healing properties. Bitter Melon leaves are incorporated into tonics, capsules, teas, and other liquids. In Ayurveda, Bitter Melon leaves are thought to balance all three doshas: vata, kapha, and pitta, and the nutritional elements of the plant are said to penetrate deep within the body due to its bitter taste, cleansing and removing toxins. Bitter Melon leaves are blended into a paste with tulsi leaves and honey and are consumed to soothe the respiratory tract, lessening asthma and other airway issues. The leaves are also steeped dry or fresh into a tea and are believed to clear heat, removing metabolic waste from the digestive tract and acting as a natural diuretic to clean the kidneys and the liver.
Geography/History
Bitter Melon leaves are native to Asia and have been growing wild since ancient times. The leaves grow on the climbing vines of Momordica charantia, and this species is thought to have a center of origin in India. Bitter Melon vines thrive in tropical to subtropical climates and were spread over time through trade routes and migrating peoples. The vines were introduced to China sometime around the 14th century and were later sent to Japan during the Edo period, 1603 to 1867 CE. The species was also planted in Africa, where it became a medicinal and culinary plant, and was grown in select regions of Europe and the Americas. Throughout history, Bitter Melon vines transformed from a wild to a commercially cultivated and home-grown species. The leaves are found in the vine’s growing regions and are a secondary culinary ingredient to the fruits. The leaves are also used in medicinal practices. Today, Bitter Melon leaves are found on vines growing along forest edges, fences, disturbed sites, riverbanks, and trellises. The species is typically found between sea level and 1,300 meters in elevation and is cultivated worldwide. Bitter Melon leaves are sold in small, fresh bundles through local markets. The leaves are also dried and sold as tea in markets and through online retailers.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Bitter Melon Leaves. One
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