Chinese Bitter Melon   -   [Ku gua (China); M. charantia}

Chinese bitter melons are less bitter than the Indian variety, and seem to be a little less bitter in the larger sizes, such as those in the photo. The top photo specimen was 11-3/4 inches long, 2-1/4 inches diameter and weighed 12-5/8 ounces. As they ripen the pulpy seed surround, which is not bitter, becomes brilliant red and quite sweet, but by time it's at its best the melon is turning yellow and becoming mushy. Details and Cooking

Indian Bitter Melon   -   [Karela (India); M. charantia]

Indian bitter melons (bottom three in the photo) have a much rougher skin, are more bitter than the Chinese variety and also come in a white version. They are also more prone to damage and don't keep as well as the Chinese. Miniature Indian bitter melons are popular in India and Southeast Asia for stuffing as individual portions. Details and Cooking   Photo © cg1.

Bitter Melon Leaf   -   [Dahon ng Ampalayá (Philippines) Momorica charantia]

This green is popular all over Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. It is mildly bitter, similar to the fruit but very much less so. The photo specimens, purchased from an Asian grower at a Los Angeles farmer's market, were from a bundle about 32 inches long. In the lower right quarter you can see a very immature bitter melon fruit. Flowers, if any, are small and yellow.   Details and Cooking

Taiwan Bitter Melon   -   [M. charantia]

This melon is similar to the regular Chinese bitter melons but much larger paler in color and a lot less bitter. In fact, it's hardly bitter at all. I like them sliced, salted and eaten raw, but they seem a bit bland cooked. Clearly this is considered a prestige vegetable because the melons were individually shrink wrapped and carefully packed. I'm not sure they're actually grown in Taiwan, the Asian markets around here seem to label a lot of unusual stuff "Taiwan". The top photo specimen was 11 inches long, 3-1/4 inches diameter and weighed 1 pound 6-1/2 ounces. Details and Cooking

Gac   -   [Baby Jackfruit, Spiny Bitter Gourd, Sweet Gourd, Cochinchin Gourd (English); Gac, Qua Gac (Viet); Fuk Kao (Thai); M. cochinchinensis]

Despite the common English name and it's outward and inward appearance, Gac is completely unrelated to the actual Jackfruit.. It grows on vines like any other gourd or cucumber and has red arils surrounding the seeds just like a ripe Bitter Gourd should, but they are very large. This gourd is eaten in Vietnam, combined with glutinous rice in a dish called xôi gac. Gac is highly seasonal, available from December into February. The photo specimen was 5-1/4 inches diameter and weighed 2-1/2 pounds.

Gac has a higher concentration of bioavailable beta-carotene (Vitamin A) than any other fruit or vegetable, 10 times that of carrots, and 70 times the lycopene provided by tomatoes. It is also very high in a number of important phytonutrients and Vitamin E, and the pulp contains a fair amount of oils which efficiently transport these nutrients. It is now being sold in the West in capsule form as a nutritional supplement. Details and Cooking.   Photo © cg1.

Monk Fruit   -   [Luo han guo (China); La han qua (Viet); longevity fruit (not unique); Fructus Momordicae (Pharm); Siraitia grosvenorii]

Native to southern China and northern Thailand, and closely related to the Bitter Melons (but of genus Siraitia, not Momordica), this rare gourd has recently become better known in the West. Extracts from this fruit are 300 times sweeter than sugar with almost no calories. The US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has recently rated the fruit and extracts from it as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe), so they will soon be included as natural sweeteners in any number of products. The fruits grow on vines and are between 2 to 2-3/4 inches diameter with sweet, fleshy edible pulp and many seeds. Details and Cooking.   Photo by KasugaHuang distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported.

Angled Luffa   -   [Chinese Okra, Silk Gourd, Vine Okra, California Okra; Turai, Torai, Dodka (India); Patola (Philippine); Buap liyam (Thai); Luffa acutangula]

Grown all over Southeast Asia, these have also long been a common vegetable here in Southern California. They are used by Asians of all stripes, from India to the Philippines. Though commonly sold as "Chinese Okra", it is entirely unrelated to Okra and does not resemble it in flavor, texture, cooking properties or size, only in that it has ridges.

The skin is stiff and thin with sharp ridges running the full length. The flesh is very delicate in both flavor and texture, yet holds its shape well when cooked. The photo specimen was 19 inches long, 2-1/2 inches diameter and weighed 14 ounces. They vary in shape and size. The cut one was more uniform in diameter, 21 inches long and weighed just over 1 pound. Details and Cooking.

Smooth Luffa   -   [Egyptian Luffa, Silk Gourd; Galka, Turai, Ghosavala (India), Patola (Philippine), Luffa cylindrica alt L. aegyptiaca]

Probably of African origin, these are an eating variety which may be cylindrical or snake shaped with little or no ridging. Cylindrical ones are generally eaten when they are about 8 to 10 inches long, snake shaped ones depending on variety. The photo specimen in the center was 11 inches long and 2-1/2 inches diameter.

These gourds have not yet become common in Southern California markets, but I have found them in Indian markets in Artesia. They have a more distinctly vegetable flavor than the Angled Luffa and store considerably longer. In California they are grown commercially mostly for the bath sponge produced when they mature and dry out. They are also grown in Florida where some may be used for cooking. Details and Cooking

Smooth Luffa   -   [Egyptian Luffa, Luffa cylindrica alt L. aegyptiaca]

This is the same Luffa as the previous entry but allowed to mature completely and dry. They are harvested for the sponge-like interior fiber (the papery shell is easily removed). The "sponges" are popular as bath sponges and for various household chores.

Luffas should be dried well between uses for longer life. A large one also serves marvelously as a non-injurious club for swatting snoring bed companions in the night. The sponge pictured is about 26 inches long. My local market always has a pile of them for about $1.39 each but you can pay a lot more for a short piece at an upscale bath boutique.

Sponge Cucumber   -   [Sponge Gourd, Round Luffa, Wild Luffa; Luffa operculata]

This Luffa is only about 5 inches long pointed at both ends with spiky skin. It is used as a small sponge and made into massage brushes and sponge gloves, but is more noted for medicinal uses. It has many uses in South American folk medicine and is widely sold in the U.S. in pill and potion form as an ingredient in sinus treatments. It also appears in homeopathic remedies.

When immature this luffa can be cooked just the same as the larger ones shown above.   Photo by H./Zell distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported.