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Image of
Momordica charantia, Balsam Pear, Bitter Gourd, Bitter
Cucumber, Bitter Melon, La-Kwa, Foo Gwah
or Karela
coming soon...
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Momordica charantia
(Balsam Pear, Bitter Gourd, Bitter Cucumber, Bitter Melon,
La-Kwa, Foo Gwah, Karela) |
Family: Cucurbita
Origin: Native to Old World tropics
Light: Full sun
Height: Can reach 6'
Spacing: 18-20"
Blooms: Small, yellow, both female and male on same plant,
mid-Summer
Foliage: Green, dense
Fruit: Green, 8-10" long, spindle-shaped, irrugular warts , smooth
skin with verticle ridges, elongated, tapered ends, turns yellow when
ripe
Soil: Well-drained, rich, loose, sandy, clayey, loamy
Water: Regular
Propagation: Seeds (Sow directly onto ground after last frost)
Uses: Trellis, arbor, poles, walls, fencing
Comments:
Momordica charantia or Balsam Pear
or
Bitter Gourd
or
Bitter Cucumber
or
La-Kwa
or
Foo Gwah or Karela is an annual climber that produces an exotic looking
edible vegetable fruit. In Summer, small bright yellow flowers
appear followed by wrinkled looking spindle-shaped green fruits. Momordica
charantia
is easily propagated from seed and planted in its permanent location as
it does not tolerate transplanting well. It loves the heat and
humidity.
Bitter Melon has a hairy stem and thick foliage. Provide
La-Kwa
support for it to climb.
Balsam Pear is popularly cultivated and consumed in Asian diet.
The fruit ripens and ready to be picked in about 3 months; regular
picking ensure a less bitter taste in the fruit and helps promote more
fruits. Pinch tips of vine to promote branching and blooming.
For optimal growth, I fertilize my Bitter Gourd plant with fish
emulsion.
Foo Gwah fruit is sold in Asian markets and it is
a popular vegetable dish in the Chinese diet. It
can be stir fried with any meat of your choice or cooked in soup.
It tastes bitter, hence the common name Bitter Gourd. Many
would not enjoy the taste of this odd looking fruit but it is
really a miracle fruit.
Foo Gwah fruit
is loaded with vitamins like carbohydrate, calcium, iron,
phosphorus and protein. Bitter Cucumber helps build body immunity
in diabetics. There are several varieties of Bitter Melon,
pale green,, dark green. The presence of a compound called
Charatin in the Bitter gourd fruit acts like an insulin; it helps
control Type II diabetes by reducing the level of blood sugar. Momordica
charantia is an antipyretic, helps reduce fever, a laxative and an
appetizer. Consuming this vege juice with lime juice early in the
morning before food helps to purify the blood and beautifies your skin,
helps treat skin problems and irritations. Applying a paste of the
Balsam Pear
roots externally helps reduce pile pain. This vege paste
taken orally is also said to be very good for those with respiratory
problems; take it with the same amount of honey every night for one
month just before bedtime. Foo Gwah seeds are valuable condiments
in making curries for use in Indian cuisine. I have acquired a
taste for this wonder fruit. I cut the fruit into half, remove the
seeds inside and cut into thin slices. I then heat oil in pan, stir
in chopped garic, then add choice of meat and finally add bitter melon
and seasoning. I serve this
Bitter Gourd dish with rice. Hmmm yum! Balsam Pear is known to the
Indians as 'Karela', also tastes great in
soup with some meat added. What a cheap and delicious way to clean
your kidneys and regulate your insulin levels!
USDA Hardiness Zones : 9b-11 |
