Bitter Melon (aka balsam pear or bitter gourd)

Momordica charantia

Origin: Hot, humid China and India

Plant: Sept – Dec

Harvest: Jan – April

Young fruit are harvested 8 – 10 days after the flowers open. Each fruit will be 100-150mm long, knobbly, light green with white flesh inside, 10 – 12 fruit per vine. Picked fruit stays firm and fresh for about 4 or 5 days in a plastic bag in the fridge. Scrape out seeds, they are bitter. Note: older, riper fruit is extremely bitter and toxic to man and animals.