Cultivated extensively in India, the bitter gourd, also known as karela, is a unique vegetable prized for its health benefits and culinary versatility. This member of the cucurbit family boasts a warty, ridged exterior in shades of green and white, reaching lengths of up to 2 feet. While immature gourds are tender and less bitter, mature ones offer a firmer texture and more concentrated flavor profile. Traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine, bitter gourd is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Hailing from the vibrant tapestry of Indian agriculture, the bitter gourd, also known as karela in Hindi, is a unique vegetable prized for its distinctive flavor profile and impressive health benefits. This export-worthy vine boasts a long, slender, and warty exterior, typically ranging from 10 to 30 centimeters in length. While immature bitter gourds possess a smooth, light green skin, mature ones develop a bumpy texture with a darker shade of green, almost tinged with a yellowish hue.
The flesh of the bitter gourd lives up to its name, offering a refreshingly bitter taste that can be quite polarizing for first-time consumers. However, this very bitterness is what makes it a culinary superstar in India. When cooked skillfully, the bitterness mellows, transforming into a delightful complexity that complements a variety of spices and cooking techniques.
Indian farmers cultivate bitter gourd throughout the year, with peak seasons occurring during the cooler months. This ensures a steady supply for both domestic consumption and export. The meticulous harvesting process involves handpicking the gourds at the optimal stage of maturity, ensuring their freshness and vibrant color.
Beyond its intriguing flavor, the bitter gourd is a powerhouse of nutrition. It is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, vital for maintaining healthy vision, immunity, and blood clotting. Additionally, it boasts significant amounts of dietary fiber, promoting gut health and aiding digestion. Furthermore, bitter gourd is a natural source of minerals like iron, potassium, and manganese, contributing to a balanced diet.
Bitter gourd, with its distinctively bitter flavor, is beloved in many Asian cuisines for its health benefits. It's a great source of vitamins and minerals and is known for supporting digestion and boosting immunity. Perfect for stir-fries, juices, and stews.
Bitter gourd, also known as bitter melon, is a vegetable known for its distinct bitter flavor and numerous health benefits. Rich in vitamins C and A, as well as compounds believed to lower blood sugar levels, bitter gourd is often used in traditional medicine. It is commonly stir-fried, stuffed, or cooked in curries, and is particularly popular in Indian, Chinese, and Southeast Asian cuisines.
Despite its strong taste, bitter gourd is appreciated for its potential to improve digestion and regulate blood sugar, making it a unique and health-boosting vegetable.
Vegetable any herbaceous plant whose fruit, seeds, roots, tubers, bulbs, leaves etc are used as food. Nearly 100 different types of vegetable comprising both local and exotic type are grown in Bangladesh (table). Vegetable is important for nutritional, financial, and food security in Bangladesh. However, the availability of vegetable is only about 1/5th of the recommended requirement of 200 g/person/day.
Area and production The area under vegetable farming increased from about 1,71,830 ha to about 1,95,951 ha during 1990-1997. Likewise, the production of vegetable also increased from about 1.09 million m tons to about 1.29 million m tons during that period. However, summer vegetable cultivation is constrained by adverse climate and pest attacks. The major winter vegetables are cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, brinjal, radish, hyacinth bean, bottle gourd, etc while major summer vegetables are pumpkin, bitter gourd, teasle gourd, ribbed gourd, ash gourd, okra, yard-long bean, and Indian spinach among others. Some vegetables like brinjal, pumpkin, okra, and red amaranth are found to grow in both the seasons.
Gourd is a term used to describe several varieties of squashes, including bottle gourds and snake gourds. These vegetables are commonly used in Asian and Indian cuisines, where they are valued for their mild flavor and tender flesh. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and water content, gourds are low in calories and are often used in soups, stir-fries, and curries. The neutral taste of gourds allows them to absorb the flavors of spices and other ingredients in cooked dishes, making them a flexible and healthy option for a variety of meals.
