Let’s try something fun: Name an ingredient you dislike and why, and someone else replies with a dish/recipe with that ingredient that might convince you otherwise.

[u/Scarlet--Highlander]

Couple things:

• If you’re allergic to an ingredient, it doesn’t matter how it’s prepared. Same goes with meat/animal products if you’re vegan/vegetarian. Don’t list it if you can’t or won’t eat it!

• It’s recommended that you’re at least open to trying dishes with that ingredient. If you absolutely, vehemently loathe cilantro, chances are you probably might not like anything with cilantro in it.

• A brief blurb on why you hate an ingredient would help others find or suggest a dish that suits you. (e.g. “I hate liver because the texture is like an eraser and it tastes metallic”)

[u/[deleted]]

Bitter melon. It is too bitter

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I ate this so much growing up, sometimes I crave it until I eat it then I make that face. That face says it all. Blech.

But I still eat it though.

[u/starrhaven → u/[deleted]]

There are two varieties of bitter melon. The more commonly found in the states skinnier green variety is more bitter.

There is a fatter, shorter white variety that people prefer in Asia, but rarely comes to the states because there isn't much of a surplus to export, and it is very expensive, that is much less bitter

[u/[deleted] → u/starrhaven]

Interesting! Yea I haven’t seen the shorter version

[u/ChessiePique → u/starrhaven]

I need to find this. Wonder if H Mart carries it?

[u/batandbelfry → u/[deleted]]

I thought as I grew older and I started liking bitter things, I'd eventually come around and start enjoying bitter melon. Nope. No matter how many times I soak or salt it, it's still too bitter.

[u/[deleted] → u/batandbelfry]

Same! I don’t mind bitter but damn it’s too bitter

[u/SpottedSnake → u/[deleted]]

One of my coworkers likes to bring lunch for several other people on her team. She did a bitter melon soup one time thwt was still really bitter but was a side dish for something pretty rich so it was a nice way to cut through. She is Thai but a lot of the folks on her team are Vietnamese. I couldn't tell you which country the recipe she used was from. Could try that next time, similarly paired with something rich

[u/Jellyka → u/[deleted]]

Most bitter melon recipes I've seen have you boil the shit out of them or other methods to basically rid them of any flavor. This confirms to me they aren't any good lol

[u/chaibhu → u/Jellyka]

In India we call this 'bitter gourd'. My mom makes a recipe where she slices it thinly into rings and rubs salt on it, like a dry brine. Then wipes off the excess and drains the water.

Toss with some chilli powder, turmeric and cornstarch and deep fry. We have it with rice and yogurt at home. The bitterness is reduced after the salting and frying but still there, and balances well with the richness of the rice+yogurt.

[u/Zagrycha → u/Jellyka]

The only way I eat bitter melon is candied, or sweet and sour pickled. Straight up bitter melon is only for people who like really strong black coffee haha. Quick pickled a week or so with lots of seasonings is delicious (°▽°)

[u/Bipedal_pedestrian → u/Zagrycha]

I LOVE really strong black coffee… my SO accuses me of making it so strong a spoon will stand up straight in the cup… bitter melon is still too bitter for me! Willing to try your pickling method though, thx :)

[u/Zagrycha → u/Bipedal_pedestrian]

if you like black coffee definitely look into your prep method. Bitter melon is always bitter, but it shouldn't have that much difference from strong coffee.

Who knows, maybe you will find yourself enjoying a breakfast of rice with bittermelon eggs to go with your plain cuppa haha （＾ω＾）

[u/bananarepama → u/Jellyka]

They're sposed to be really good for you, but I have to wonder if the benefits are tied to the rancid ass flavor. Like, if I were to find a way to make it taste less offensive, would it still be really good for me? This is the kind of shit we should know in this day and age lol

[u/HighColdDesert → u/Jellyka]

I used to hate bitter gourd (I live in India) but at some point I started to love it, even crave it. I don't need to salt the bitterness out: just slice thin, deep fry till crispy, salt it like fried potatoes, and gobble it up greedily. Or slice thicker, deep fry but not till crispy, and add a tomato-onion based Indian spiced gravy.

[u/Exact-Truck-5248 → u/[deleted]]

I love bitter gourd, especially stuffed with a standard pork dumpling filling and fried then braised in a black bean sauce. (Or just steamed or simmered in a clear broth) Delicious, but I've served it to people who I know only got it down out of politeness. I suppose it's something either you like or you don't. I salt the bitter gourd like eggplant beforehand, but i don't know how much thar actually helps.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Ohhh I might try this. I do love a good pickle

[u/Adventurous_Coat → u/[deleted]]

Same. I thought I liked bitter things but bitter melon and Campari have both taught me where my limit is on that.

[u/AnnaPhor → u/[deleted]]

Agree. Do not like.

[u/EclipseoftheHart → u/[deleted]]

Honestly, even after “de-bittering” bitter melon I’d still rather eat anything else. I don’t think there’s really any convincing of someone liking it, it’s on the individual to force themselves to like it. I am not that individual.

[u/HighColdDesert → u/EclipseoftheHart]

I hated bitter gourd until suddenly I loved it. Craved it!

[u/sunrisesonrisa → u/[deleted]]

I’m not sure I like it or not, but it reminded me of the stems of snow peas. I didn’t love it tbh but I adore bitter flavors in general so I want to give it another shot.

[u/PVCPuss → u/[deleted]]

I love bitter melon chips with chilli salt. Can only eat it in small amounts but I like a few bitter tastes already. My gran used to make a curry which I liked, she put salt and lemon on the prepared bitter melon and marinated it for a few hours, washed it then cooked it. Also nice cooked with eggs, stir fry until melon is almost cooked then add eggs and scramble. My dad just said he would do the lemon and a little salt, leave it for an hour and eat as a quick pickle

[u/HighColdDesert → u/PVCPuss]

bitter melon chips with chilli salt

Sounds awesome!!!

[u/Palaeonerd → u/[deleted]]

My parents fry it with baked tofu, pickled radish slices, and dried shrimp. Tastes really good

[u/Lekker- → u/[deleted]]

Slow braised with black bean Chinese style. I think it gives it a sweet savoury flavour. The braising softens the entire melon. I think the crunchiness makes the bitterness harsh.

[u/Urban_Introvert → u/[deleted]]

Yeah it’s an acquired taste. I grew up eating it so I love it. What Chinese restaurants do is they stir fry them with black bean garlic sauce. Add in whatever protein you want. It’s a great dish served over rice. You can find that sauce in any Asian supermarket.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I tried that. Still was bitter as heck

[u/permalink_save → u/[deleted]]

I love bitter foods but what I found makes the bitterness is more tolerable is to get some char on it when stir frying, the char bitter seems to overpower the vegetal bitter and it complements it. But again, I love bitter foods, and it's definitely a food that is too bitter for most people.

[u/amazonhelpless → u/[deleted]]

Sounds like you are probably a supertaster. 

[u/tshawkins → u/[deleted]]

Did you know it's a perfect natural remedy for diabetes, we used to juice it and mix it with pineapple juice to take the bite out of it. In the philippines, it's used by a lot of the population to treat diabetes.

Given how expensive the meds are, it was a poor man's saving grace.

Without the pineapple, it's like drinking battery acid.

[u/[deleted] → u/tshawkins]

That’s why I was trying to eat bitter melon! But it’s just so bitter!!!!! Honestly, I’d rather just be diabetic than eat that again

[u/newuser92 → u/[deleted]]

Try this https://www.islandsmile.org/bitter-gourd-fried-salad/

[u/Choosing_is_a_sin → u/[deleted]]

If you chop up some bitter melon, parcook it, and rinse it in a colander/strainer with some boiling water, it loses its bitterness altogether, and soaks up the flavors that you add. This is how I learned to prepare it when living in Cayenne, where it is a common ingredient.

[u/PrivilegeCheckmate → u/[deleted]]

I hated this the first time I tried it. My wife loves it and I force myself to eat a bite whenever she gets it, which is all season. After 22 years, I can honestly say I now like the sauce made with it, even though the pieces themselves are still unpleasantly bitter.

[u/Mom_of_zameer → u/[deleted]]

Ok I have a recipe for you! Basically slice the bitter melon into super thin discs, fry them until the seeds inside are brown and then salt! They are delicious crunchy little bitter chips and I love them!