NYT20020731.0077|NN 2002-07-31|NN 13:46|NN A4345|NN &|CC Cx1|NN f|SYM ;|: ttd-z|JJ r|LS d|SYM BC-PRODUCEBIN-SFCHRON|NNP 07|CD -|- 31|CD 0408|CD BC-PRODUCEBIN-SF|NNP MUST|NNP CREDIT|NNP THE|DT SAN|NNP FRANCISCO|NNP CHRONICLE|NNP CHRON|NNP EDITORS|NNP NOTE|VB :|: Each|DT week|NN ,|, The|DT Chronicle|NNP offers|VBZ readers|NNS a|DT look|NN at|IN the|DT more|RBR unusual|JJ fruits|NNS ,|, vegetables|NNS and|CC herbs|NNS of|IN each|DT season|NN and|CC how|WRB to|TO use|VB them|PRP .|. 
THE|DT PRODUCE|NNP BIN|NNP :|: Bitter|NNP melon|NN BY|NNP KAROLA|NNP SAEKEL|NNP c|SYM .|. 2002|CD The|DT San|NNP Francisco|NNP Chronicle|NNP SAN|NNP FRANCISCO|NNP -|- -|- A|DT staple|NN of|IN Chinese|JJ and|CC Indian|JJ cooking|NN ,|, these|DT gourds|NNS (|( botanically|RB ,|, Momordica|NNP charantia|NN )|) with|IN skin|NN like|IN toads|NNS grow|VBP on|IN climbing|VBG vines|NNS that|WDT can|MD reach|VB 12|CD feet|NNS .|. 
The|DT Chinese|JJ and|CC Indian|JJ varieties|NNS differ|VBP little|JJ in|IN taste|NN .|. 
Though|IN they|PRP resemble|VBP squashes|NNS ,|, they|PRP are|VBP natives|NNS to|TO Asia|NNP ,|, rather|RB than|IN the|DT Americas|NNPS ,|, but|CC are|VBP now|RB cultivated|VBN in|IN many|JJ regions|NNS of|IN the|DT world|NN that|WDT boast|VBP moderate|JJ to|TO warm|JJ climates|NNS .|. 
Hmong|NNPS farmers|NNS grow|VBP them|PRP in|IN California|NNP 's|POS Central|NNP Valley|NNP ,|, and|CC Mexico|NNP has|VBZ a|DT substantial|JJ crop|NN .|. 

SEASON|NNP Bitter|NNP melons|NNS can|MD be|VB found|VBN in|IN Asian|JJ and|CC specialty|NN produce|NN markets|NNS primarily|RB from|IN spring|NN through|IN late|JJ fall|NN .|. 
Right|RB now|RB ,|, some|DT particularly|RB nice|JJ ones|NNS are|VBP in|IN Bay|NNP Area|NNP farmers|NNS '|POS markets|NNS .|. 

HOW|NNP TO|TO SELECT|NNP As|IN the|DT gourd|NN ripens|VBZ ,|, its|PRP$ color|NN changes|NNS from|IN near|IN white|JJ -|- pale|JJ green|NN to|TO vivid|JJ green|NN ,|, often|RB flecked|JJ with|IN yellow|JJ ,|, and|CC eventually|RB bright|JJ orange|NN .|. 
When|WRB young|JJ ,|, the|DT flavor|NN is|VBZ relatively|RB mild|JJ ,|, with|IN a|DT fresh|JJ ,|, sour|JJ note|NN .|. 
As|IN it|PRP ripens|VBZ ,|, it|PRP gets|VBZ progressively|RB more|RBR bitter|JJ due|NN to|TO the|DT quinine|NN it|PRP contains|VBZ .|. 

PRICE|NNP Bitter|NNP melon|NN was|VBD selling|VBG for|IN 79|CD cents|NNS to|TO $1.99|NN a|DT pound|NN last|JJ week|NN .|. 

USES|NNP Bitter|NNP melons|NNS are|VBP used|VBN in|IN many|JJ Asian|JJ cuisines|NNS ,|, most|RBS prominently|RB Indian|JJ ,|, Chinese|JJ and|CC Vietnamese|JJ .|. 
Generally|RB ,|, they|PRP are|VBP halved|VBN lengthwise|NN ,|, the|DT seeds|NNS and|CC fibrous|JJ pulp|NN removed|VBN and|CC the|DT flesh|NN sliced|JJ into|IN crescents|NNS .|. 
They|PRP are|VBP frequently|RB blanched|JJ or|CC salted|VBD and|CC left|VBD to|TO macerate|NN for|IN up|IN to|TO an|DT hour|NN ,|, then|RB rinsed|JJ and|CC patted|JJ dry|JJ to|TO tame|JJ the|DT bitterness|NN .|. 

Chinese|JJ hot|JJ -|- and|CC -|- sour|JJ soup|NN made|VBN with|IN egg|NN white|NN and|CC crabmeat|NN often|RB includes|VBZ bitter|JJ melon|NN .|. 
It|PRP also|RB appears|VBZ in|IN stir|VB -|- frys|VB ,|, especially|RB those|DT based|VBN on|IN pork|NN .|. 
Black|JJ bean|NN sauce|NN is|VBZ a|DT favorite|JJ seasoning|VBG .|. 
When|WRB pickled|JJ ,|, bitter|JJ melon|NN makes|VBZ a|DT savory|NN condiment|NN .|. 

In|IN Vietnam|NNP ,|, bitter|JJ melon|NN halves|NNS are|VBP stuffed|VBN with|IN meat|NN mixtures|NNS ,|, such|JJ as|IN ground|NN pork|NN with|IN black|JJ mushrooms|NNS and|CC cellophane|NN noodles|NNS ,|, then|RB braised|JJ .|. 
Colin|NNP Spencer|NNP 's|POS "|'' Vegetable|NNP Book|NNP "|'' details|NNS an|DT intriguing|JJ Indian|JJ chapati|NN in|IN which|WDT bitter|JJ melon|NN ,|, seeds|NNS left|VBD intact|JJ ,|, is|VBZ sliced|JJ ,|, parboiled|JJ ,|, then|RB mixed|VBN with|IN lightly|RB fried|JJ garlic|JJ and|CC Indian|JJ spices|NNS ,|, flour|NN and|CC yogurt|NN .|. 
The|DT mixture|NN is|VBZ fried|VBN like|IN a|DT thick|JJ pancake|NN and|CC served|VBD ,|, sliced|JJ ,|, with|IN rice|NN ,|, naan|NN and|CC other|JJ curries|NNS .|. 

NYT-07|NN -|- 31|CD -|- 02|CD 1346|CD EDT|NNP 