To most Singaporeans, the bittergourd needs little introduction. It is well known for its bitter-tasting fruits that it produces which are eaten in a variety of ways which include raw by juicing them or by cooking them in stews, steamed or stir-fried. Besides being used as a fruit vegetable, the bittergourd is said to possess medicinal properties and can help to improve appetite. Locals here believe eating the fruit will help to lower blood sugar in individuals with diabetes. The love for this fruit is an acquired taste really and to date, I still do not like to sink my teeth into slices of bittergourd!
Botanically known as Momordica charantia, the genus name “Momordica ” in Latin word means “to bite”, probably referring to the appearance of the seeds of the bittergourd where they feature uneven edges. The species name “charantia” probably refers to the pointed characteristic of the fruits in Latin. The fruit of the bittergourd is quite odd and appalling compared to many other curcubits because the longish fruits have a warty appearance.
Bittergourds are harvested and eaten while they are immature fruits and hence most of the bittergourds we have here are all green in colour. Traditionally, the fruits are large and can measure up to 30 cm long. Recently, we have seen much smaller fruits which are 10 cm in length or shorter. These are popular amongst the Indians and Thais working in Singapore and the ones that are used for juicing.
However, there is a version of the bittergourd that is not commonly seen here in Singapore. It is however more commonly seen in Taiwan and the fruits of this type of bittergourd are snow white in colour and measures very much to the same length as the typical green ones we have here in the market. I took the above picture of a white bittergourd fruit that is growing from a vine that was climbing its way up a chain-linked fence of a local nursery. My community gardeners who ate a fruit grown in our garden told me that the fruit of the white bittergourd is less bitter compared with the green ones.
Bittergourd vines can grow quite quickly if grown in moist ground that is well-drained and fertile. As with most fruiting vines, plants need full sun to grow . They are essentially outdoor vegetables due to the large amount of space they need to grow. Although it is possible to grow the bittergourd vine inside a container, fruit yields will be heavily compromised. In the good old kampong days in rural Singapore, vines like these are often grown near fences or any vertical support where they are allowed to climb up.
Like the green fruited version, when ripe, the white bittergourd turns bright orange in colour. It will eventually split open at its tip to reveal numerous seeds that are covered in a bright red aril.
The flowers of the bittergourd are quite small. They measure about 2 cm in diameter and are bright yellow in colour. Male and female flowers are produced on the same vine and similar to many other cucurbit vines, male flowers are produced in an abundance compared to those that are female. When grown in the great outdoors, flowers usually do not need assistance in pollination. I have seen bees and ants visiting the flowers where they help to transfer pollen from one flower to another. Hence it is essential to grow fruiting vegetables the organic and environmentally-friendly way – excessive usage of agricultural chemicals can kill these beneficial wildlife!
The female bittergourd flower is not difficult to recognise because it has the usual characteristic of cucurbit flowers. One can find a baby bittergourd fruit behind the petals of a female flower. This is the ovary which will swell up significantly in size if it is successfully pollinated. If poor pollination is experienced, one has to hand pollinated each female flower in turn. This can be a very labour-intensive task!
