SFist in the Kitchen: Bitter Melon
Our photographer Melissa has been intrigued by the vibrant green, slightly squishy, wrinkly bitter melons we've seen at various farmer's markets, and she suggested we put it through its paces. We were excited to try out the new ingredient, at least until we researched it a bit more. "I grew up with bitter melons and love their taste," begins Madhur Jaffrey in World-of-the-East Vegetarian Cooking. But she finishes that thought ominously: "I know that it is not easy for most Americans to eat them."
Bitter melon is, obviously, bitter. Western palates shy away from this sensation, but it's a common component throughout Eastern cuisine, where many consider bitterness to be a cleansing panacea. Piles of these exotic-looking veggies cover tables at markets that cater to Asian communities, from San Francisco's Civic Center market to Oakland's 9th Street market. But what do you do with it if, like us, you cook a lot of French and Italian dishes?
Photos by Melissa Schneider
Elizabeth Schneider, in Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini, says that technically you can treat a bitter melon just like zucchini, but she agrees with Jaffrey that bitter melon newbies should start by frying it. Frankly, we think frying is a good way to treat anything. Once you've gotten used to the taste, says Jaffrey, you can graduate to eating it in different preparations, including the Filipino dish pinakbet, which relies on bitter melon as the sole constant across its many variations.
We decided to mellow the bitterness with a fatty piece of slow-roasted salmon topped with a beurre blanc sauce. And since Schneider trumpets bitter melon's ability to mingle with strong flavors, we added a corn, jalapeno, basil, and red onion salsa to the plate. We nervously sat down and found that after all the build-up, we just didn't find bitter melon that unpleasant. Somewhat nutty and earthy, like a summer squash, it made a nice topping for the salmon and salsa. Sure, it was bitter, but not in a horrendous way. The combination of strong flavors made a wine choice difficult, so we opted for a light beer.
So we suggest that you give bitter melon a try. We cut out the core with its giant seeds, and then sliced the bitter melon into small wands. We breaded it in flour, buttermilk, and then flour again, before deep-frying it in 350° oil until the crust was a dark golden-brown. Finally, we sprinkled the crispy bits over the salmon and salsa.