How to Cook Bitter Melon

Step 1

Wash the bitter melon. Rinse the melon under running water at the sink. Use a produce brush to gently scrub the melon, and then rinse again. Pat the melon dry with a clean towel.

Step 2

Cut the melon in half. Use a sharp knife to trim the stalks off at either end. Next, slice the melon in half lengthwise to split it.If you like, you can also use your knife to scrape off the outer peel on the melons. The outer skin is edible, but scraping some of it off helps lessen its roughness.

Step 3

Remove the seeds. When the melon is cut in half, use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and all of the white pith that forms the fibrous flesh inside. Discard the seeds and fibrous core.The seed and core are actually edible, so you can cook them along with the rest of the melon. However, the texture can be a little tough and chewy, and the pith is usually unpalatably bitter.

Step 4

Place the halves face down and slice the melon thinly. Once you’ve removed the seeds, flip the halves of the melon over. Use your knife to cut the melon into slices width-wise. The slices should be approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.

Step 5

Soak the melon in cold water for several hours to reduce the bitterness. Place the sliced melon in a large bowl, and cover it with cold water. Allow the melon to soak for 1 to 3 hours, changing the water every hour to remove as much of the bitterness as possible.

Step 6

Blanch the melon to tone down the bitterness. Another way to tone down the bitterness in a bitter melon is to blanch it before using it in a recipe. Fill a large pot about halfway with water, and bring it to a boil over high heat on the stove. Add the sliced melon, and allow it to boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove it from the pot and drain it before dropping it in a bowl of ice water for 3 minutes. Drain the melon again, and use it in your favorite recipe.