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The bitter melon (or bitter gourd) is the edible fruit of the plant Momordica charantia, which belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. Bitter melon grows in tropical and subtropical climates. The fruit is green (orange-yellow when ripe) and has warty appearance and oblong shape.
It is often used in Chinese cooking for its bitterBitter is one of the five basic tastes. Many people find bitter tastes unpleasant; many alkaloids taste bitter, and evolutionary biologists have suggested that a distaste for bitter things evolved to enable people to avoid poisoning. The bitterest substan flavour. Bitter melons also have various uses as traditional medicineThe term traditional medicine is used with two main meanings. The most common usage is to describe medical techniques traditionally used within various societies and developed before the era of modern medicine. These include broad areas such as herbal med around the world, and has potential use for treating HIVThe Human immunodeficiency virus HIV is a frequently mutating retrovirus that attacks the human immune system and which has been shown to cause acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). History HIV was discovered and identified as the agent for AIDS by infections. Bitter melon is also used often in Okinawan cuisine ; it is called goyā in Okinawa.
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Chinese cuisine
Vegetables
