Bitter gourd or bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is a light green gourd, ranging from 6 to 12 inches in length, with a ridged and bumpy exterior. It has a strongly bitter flavor, which is tamed slightly by cooking, but is still very pronounced. It is used in South Asian and Okinawan cuisine, where it used to balance sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors. In the Kerala region of India, it is fried with sliced coconut, shallot, and chili.
Chinese bitter melon has a lighter green, smoother exterior, while Indian bitter melon is darker green, with spiky, warty skin.