Fruiting vegetables
Bitter Melon (Goya) NukazukeSalt It to Soften the Bitterness, Then Pickle for a Day
Bitter melon, called goya in Japan, is a classic summer vegetable, best known from Okinawan cooking. Its bitterness goes well with the flavor of rice bran. Outside Japan, look for it at Asian grocery stores, sometimes labeled “bitter gourd” or “karela”.
It’s very juicy, so pickled raw it turns out fresh and crisp. Rubbing it with salt before pickling softens the bitterness and makes it easier to eat.
| Prep | Halve lengthwise, remove the seeds and pith, rub with salt and leave 30 minutes |
|---|---|
| Pickling time | 24 hours or more |
| After pickling | Keep in the fridge and eat by the next day |
Pickling times are for a nuka bed kept in the fridge. At room temperature it pickles faster, and faster still in summer. The saltiness of your bed also makes a difference.
How to make bitter melon nukazuke
- Cut: Cut off both ends, halve lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds and white pith with a spoon. Any pith left behind makes it more bitter.
- Rub with salt: Sprinkle salt all over, rub it in, and leave for about 30 minutes. This draws out bitterness and extra water.
- Pat dry: Wipe off the water with a paper towel. You don’t need to rinse off the salt.
- Pickle: Bury it in the nuka bed, fill the hollow with bran, and cover with more bran.
- Take it out: Rinse off the bran, slice thinly and serve.
From bed to plate
How to eat it
- Thinly sliced: Top with bonito flakes and a few drops of soy sauce.
- As a salad: Toss thin slices with canned tuna, sesame seeds and mayonnaise to soften the bitterness.
- If it’s too bitter: Slice thinly and soak briefly in water before eating.
Bitter melon is very juicy and tends to make the bed watery. See Caring for a Nuka Bed. To dry it instead, see dried bitter melon.
