Comments on: Green, Knobbly and Very, Very Bitter http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/ I'll get a better name soon, I promise Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:32:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Robin Curtis http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-4301 Fri, 16 May 2008 15:37:56 +0000 http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-4301 Very interested in yr topic for very different reason. I have type 2 diabetes and have been recommended to boil bitter gourd in water and drink the water which is supposed to reduce blood/sugar levels. This has come from my manager in Singapore, who is herself Chinese. The question is where to get this bitter vegetable in the UK. I live in East Anglia and anything like this appears to be seasonal, I have phoned many wholesalers. Perhaps you have a ready supply in your area and would be kind enough to divulge that information. Thanking you in advance Robin Curtis (Mr.) Very interested in yr topic for very different reason.

I have type 2 diabetes and have been recommended to boil bitter gourd in water and drink the water which is supposed to reduce blood/sugar levels. This has come from my manager in Singapore, who is herself Chinese.

The question is where to get this bitter vegetable in the UK. I live in East Anglia and anything like this appears to be seasonal, I have phoned many wholesalers.

Perhaps you have a ready supply in your area and would be kind enough to divulge that information.

Thanking you in advance
Robin Curtis (Mr.)

]]> by: Viv;=) http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-4271 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:43:02 +0000 http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-4271 Hi Ros, I have many friends who disliked the taste of bitter gourds too, so I am the odd one out:) The part I find it amusing was the scraping off the skin, which I've never thought about. Enjoyed reading your blog and keep it coming ^-^ Hi Ros,

I have many friends who disliked the
taste of bitter gourds too, so I am the odd one out:)
The part I find it amusing was the scraping off the skin,
which I’ve never thought about.

Enjoyed reading your blog and keep it coming ^-^

]]> by: Deanna http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-4238 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:29:37 +0000 http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-4238 Hi - just wanted to say I really enjoy reading your blog. I'm half-Sri Lankan and spent a few years there and so miss the traditional vegetables like gotukola, bread fruit and even bitter gourd as you have featured. This vegetable is called "kara-wila" and is best eaten as a "sambol". All you do is slice them into thin rings and season with salt, chilli and turmeric. Deep fry in batches and drain well. Mix with sliced red onion, green chillies and tomatoes with a good squeeze of lime. Its really delicious with Sri Lankan-style rice and curry. Try it this way and if this method fails to impress, then it's probably safe to give up! :-) All the best and keep up the great blog. Hi - just wanted to say I really enjoy reading your blog. I’m half-Sri Lankan and spent a few years there and so miss the traditional vegetables like gotukola, bread fruit and even bitter gourd as you have featured.

This vegetable is called “kara-wila” and is best eaten as a “sambol”. All you do is slice them into thin rings and season with salt, chilli and turmeric. Deep fry in batches and drain well. Mix with sliced red onion, green chillies and tomatoes with a good squeeze of lime. Its really delicious with Sri Lankan-style rice and curry. Try it this way and if this method fails to impress, then it’s probably safe to give up! :-) All the best and keep up the great blog.

]]> by: ros http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3945 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:20:05 +0000 http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3945 Jeanne- It's a tragedy- I have no more cherry brandy left thanks to that damned gourd! ;) Thanks for hosting this event- it is great fun and apologies again for the late entry. Schmoof - I do have two more of these things in the fridge but I'm not sure I can bring myself to have them again so soon. If I ever muster up the courage I'll try one of Mamta's recipes. I can't believe I forgot to check her website when researching this vegetable! Freya - Like you, I'll try almost anything once but these won't be cooked by me for a long time yet. Yuck! S- Glad I'm not the only one who hates these things. Supposedly they're an acquired taste but I don't know why anyone would put in the effort to acquire it. Trig- I don't think it's named after the state, the pronunciation of the name is different. the vegetable has all short vowels 'Ke- ru- la,' not 'Ke-rah-la' like the state. I've seen different spellings for this vegetable too- Karala and Karela mostly. Jeanne- It’s a tragedy- I have no more cherry brandy left thanks to that damned gourd! ;) Thanks for hosting this event- it is great fun and apologies again for the late entry.

Schmoof - I do have two more of these things in the fridge but I’m not sure I can bring myself to have them again so soon. If I ever muster up the courage I’ll try one of Mamta’s recipes. I can’t believe I forgot to check her website when researching this vegetable!

Freya - Like you, I’ll try almost anything once but these won’t be cooked by me for a long time yet. Yuck!

S- Glad I’m not the only one who hates these things. Supposedly they’re an acquired taste but I don’t know why anyone would put in the effort to acquire it.

Trig- I don’t think it’s named after the state, the pronunciation of the name is different. the vegetable has all short vowels ‘Ke- ru- la,’ not ‘Ke-rah-la’ like the state. I’ve seen different spellings for this vegetable too- Karala and Karela mostly.

]]> by: Trig http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3944 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:11:36 +0000 http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3944 Hi Ros, a very amusing post as usual. Now I'll know never to substitute these for okra (not that I've ever come acorss them before). Are they named Kerala after the Southern Indian state they originate from by any chance? Hi Ros, a very amusing post as usual. Now I’ll know never to substitute these for okra (not that I’ve ever come acorss them before). Are they named Kerala after the Southern Indian state they originate from by any chance?

]]> by: S http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3943 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:55:02 +0000 http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3943 That is quite possibly the most disgusting thing to be foisted on humankind; I don't know anyone who'd consume it sans protest. Kudos to you for trying though! x That is quite possibly the most disgusting thing to be foisted on humankind; I don’t know anyone who’d consume it sans protest.

Kudos to you for trying though!

x

]]> by: Freya http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3942 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:37:32 +0000 http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3942 At least you tried! And now you've deterred us all from trying it - you pioneered the kerala! The rest of the food looks really good! At least you tried! And now you’ve deterred us all from trying it - you pioneered the kerala! The rest of the food looks really good!

]]> by: Schmoofaloof http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3941 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 11:45:43 +0000 http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3941 I think mamta has a lot of recipes for it on her website - www.mamtaskitchen.com My grandmother used to stuff bitter melon with pork mince and prawns. I'd eat the stuffing and leave the rest in the hope that i'd get away with it. I never did! I think mamta has a lot of recipes for it on her website - www.mamtaskitchen.com

My grandmother used to stuff bitter melon with pork mince and prawns. I’d eat the stuffing and leave the rest in the hope that i’d get away with it. I never did!

]]> by: Jeanne http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3940 Thu, 31 May 2007 20:02:16 +0000 http://www.roshani.co.uk/livingtoeat/index.php/2007/05/31/green-knobbly-and-very-very-bitter/#comment-3940 Oh Ros, how you had to suffer for your art. I mean, being forced to drink cherry brandy... Poor lamb ;-) Seriously, kudos to you for eating the inedible in the interests of research! I've also seen these little suckers in our local Sainsbury's but never actually bought them... and won't be any time soon! Thanks for a very amusing WTSIM entry & hope to see you again next month :) Oh Ros, how you had to suffer for your art. I mean, being forced to drink cherry brandy… Poor lamb ;-)

Seriously, kudos to you for eating the inedible in the interests of research! I’ve also seen these little suckers in our local Sainsbury’s but never actually bought them… and won’t be any time soon!

Thanks for a very amusing WTSIM entry & hope to see you again next month :)

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