Bitter Gourd (Karela)

Bitter Gourd (Karela)

Bitter Gourd are small to medium-sized fruits, averaging 10 to 25 centimetres in length, and have a narrow, cylindrical shape with tapered, pointed ends. The skin is thick, bumpy, waxy, and rough, covered in many small, irregularly shaped ridges known as teeth. The skin also ripens from green to yellow-orange when mature. Underneath the surface, the flesh is crisp, firm, white, and aqueous, encasing a small cavity filled with seeds and pith. Indian bitter melons are considered unpalatable when raw, and once cooked, they develop a tender consistency with a sharp, bitter flavour.