Eggplants and bitter melons

It was an all-vegetable day for me at the farmers' market yesterday. I bought the bitter melons for their looks (marry in haste, repent at leisure) and now I've just got to figure out how to cook them. Thank heavens for Google.

Comments

[joyce]

What a beautiful painting-such colors!

[lindsay]

laura, these are wonderful....Great violet color! I've started back teaching so have less time to draw:-( But plan to make time tomorrow. Hope your daughter is well.Hope you are too!(sniff)

[Laura]

Thanks you all. BdJ, that sounds really nice. So, when are we doing our cookbook? :D. Nancy, your recipe sounds really interesting too. I'll whip my lazy tastebuds into shape! Niff, it's a deal. If I get to have a Niff drawing in exchange ;D.

[Niff]

During my debacle of getting my car towed yesterday, i never got to comment on your drawings. These are both beautiful as usual. I LOVE the object you choose to draw together and the textures. I think you should do some solitary object sketches and then give me one!~! =)

[Nancy]

Not crazy about bitter melon (which we call karela), but we do eat it once in awile. We cut out the center seeds, then soak the slices in salty water for awhile, which leaches out some of the bitterness. They are fried with spices; then some gur, which is like brown sugar, is added -- it's still bitter, but it becomes bitter-sweet. It makes for variety, if you only eat it very occasionally. Gives exercise to your tastebuds.

[BoisdeJasmin]

Eggplant is one of my favourite vegetables, and you captured the colours so well.

As for bitter melons, they are really bitter, almost quinine bitter. The way to cook them to reduce bitterness is to salt them well first and remove all of the seeds, if they are large. Rinse. They go well with potatoes and onions. Fry the slices of bitter melon first. Then sautee onions and add cubed boiled potato. Add your bitter melons and season with turmeric (1/4t), ground cumin (1/2t), ground coriander seed (1t), chili pepper, salt, lemon juice to taste. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve in small quantities with lots of rice.