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Anyone know what this is?

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mannye

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ImageUploadedByTapatalk1434902842.917245.jpg

Found it growing near my house.


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
 

JayH

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It looks like a bitter melon to me. You can find it in a lot of Chinese cooking they use it as a vegetable.

Supposedly it's harmful during pregnancy (probable not much of a problem for an alcoholic drink), its been shown to cause uterine bleeding and miscarriages. Also not advised during breast feeding, don't know why.

The covering on the seeds are toxic in children and cause Vomiting, Diarrhea etc. So I'd make sure I removed all the seeds if i was going to make a mead from it.

Cheers
Jay
 

mannye

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Or leave the seeds in to make sure the little buggers aren't sneaking my stash.


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
 

mannye

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Thanks! I think that it is bitter melon. It just seems bigger in the pictures on the web. This is about the size of a half dollar at most.


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
 

mannye

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That one looks like it may have ripened fully as well, I would always see bitter melons green at the asian stores we go to in Seattle....
Are they tiny little things? These are teeny tiny. I can close my fist around two of them.
 

JayH

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If it is bitter melon which I think it is, it is generally not that toxic and is used quit a bit in Asian cooking. I lived with an herbalist for many years and I just like to make sure that people know if there is something that might be harmful even if it is in rare and small specific cases.

Many years ago I spent the second date at the hospital with a new girl friend after I had poisoned her with the dinner I was making us. It was Chicken Mole and I hadn't realized she was highly allergic to peanuts and she didn't think 'peanuts' when she saw a dark Mexican chill sauce. Trust me almost killing someone is not the best way to start a relationship.

So with the exception of pregnant women and kids and seeds, I don't know of anything. But on the other hand putting things in alcohol and fermenting them sometimes brings out both the best and the worst of something and I don't know enough to know what would happen, So I just always try to be on the safe side.

So if it was me I'd just de-seed them and I'd have a gallon of Bitter Melon happily perking away by now.


Cheers
Jay
 

JayH

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Some Bitter Melon are as small as only about 2 inches long. Cut it open and let us see what the inside looks like. It should be vaguely hollow with bright red seeds.
 

mannye

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Looks like bitter melon mini.


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
 

WVMJack

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Feb 12, 2013
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Ill be darned, I always thought the bitter melons we got at the Asian market were the ripe ones. Go ahead and taste it Mannye, wont hurt us to find out if the seeds are covered in sweet stuff
:) WVMJ
 

JayH

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May 9, 2006
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Corrales, NM
Unlike most fruit the flesh is bitter and as it ripens it becomes more bitter to the point that it is almost unpalatable. However the pithy red stuff around the seeds is sweet and good to eat.

In case you haven't guessed my old girlfriend used to cook with it a good bit. You can buy them here in the local grocery store in season.


Cheers
Jay
 
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