Luffa / Ridge Gourd

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. World Wide Shipping Highest Quality Produce 24 FSSAI Certified 100% Chemical Free

PRODUCT INFO Angle luffa is an elongated gourd with dark green skin, lined with evenly spaced ridged peaks, that taper at each end. They can be harvested when young, around 15 to 25 centimeters long, but average 30 to 40 centimeters in length and 5 to 7 centimeters wide. Angle luffa is tender; the bright white flesh has spongy texture and offers a silky, subtly sweet flavor when cooked. As it matures, the skin becomes tough and bitter and the flesh becomes fibrous and woody. USES Angle luffa can be eaten raw when young and around 15 centimeters long and 3 centimeters thick. More mature fruits can be prepared much like zucchini. They are peeled and sliced or cut into bite-sized pieces for stir-fry, battering and deep frying, to add to fish soups, dahls, or curries. Angle luffa will soak up the flavors of whatever liquid it is prepared in. In India the gourd is used in sabzis, or cooked vegetable dishes, simmered in a spice-filled gravy along with peas, cauliflower and tomatoes. Add it to stews or other vegetable dishes. Pair with seafood, spicy chiles, tamarind, soy sauce, cilantro, eggs and potato. Store Angle luffa in the refrigerator for up to a week. SEASON Angle luffa is available year-round with a peak season in the summer months.

PRODUCT INFO Bitter melons are small to medium gourds, averaging 6 to 30 centimeters in length, and have a long and slender, oblong shape with slightly tapered ends. The gourd's surface will vary depending on the specific type, ranging from deeply creased, smooth, pale green, and ridged to rough, dark green, and heavily textured with warts and bumps. The gourd's skin may also exhibit a waxy layer, and some rarer types of Bitter melon showcase a white hue. Underneath the thin skin, the flesh is crisp, watery, and pale green, encasing a central cavity filled with spongy pith and large, cream-colored seeds. Bitter melons are harvested when they are young and green, containing a sharp, astringent, and vegetal flavor. The gourds are also selected when they display a green coloring with a faint yellow hue, an indication of further maturity, rumored to contain a slightly milder, bitter, and acidic flavor. USES Bitter melons have an astringent, bitter flavor well suited for cooked preparations, including stir-frying, baking, saut�©ing, steaming, boiling, braising, and stewing. The melon's sharp flavor complements rich, fatty, and spicy ingredients and is often utilized in different culinary styles found within Asian cuisine. Bitter melons can be consumed raw, but the gourds should be deseeded, salted, and left for approximately 30 to 45 minutes to draw excess moisture and bitterness. Once the bitter flavor is lessened, the melons can be sliced for salads, chopped into dips and spreads, or blended into juices. Bitter melons are also traditionally blanched before use or salted to tame the astringent notes before cooking. The melons can be stirred into soups and curries, stuffed and baked as a main dish, stir-fried with vegetables and meat, or cooked and coated in rich sauces. Bitter melons can also be sliced and roasted as a simple side dish, cut and fried as a rice accompaniment, or pieces of the flesh can be dried and steeped as a healing and cleansing tea. In addition to the melons, the young leaves and shoots of the plants are edible and share the characteristic bitter flavor, used as an accent in salads and soups. Bitter melon pairs well with coconut milk, aromatics including lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and onions, chile peppers, tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, black beans, yogurt, pork, beef, and poultry, and seafood including fish, shrimp, crab, and scallops. Whole, unwashed Bitter melons will keep 3 to 5 days when wrapped in plastic or placed in a sealed container in the refrigerator's crisper drawer. SEASONS Bitter melons are available year-round, with a peak season in the summer.