Bitter lemon recipe and prep.

Bitter lemon is the favorite of a new acquaintance of mine from Wyoming.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. (Skip this step if you don't plan to parboil the melon before stir-frying).
2. Cut the ends off the bitter melon and cut in half lengthwise (do not peel).
3. Remove the seeds and white pith from the middle of the melon with a small spoon.
4. Cut the melon diagonally into thin, 1/4-inch slices.
5. Place the sliced bitter melon in the boiling water and parboil until it is just tender (2 - 3 minutes).Drain. Note: Parboiling partially cooks bitter melon as well as reducing its strong bitter taste. If you skip this step, you'll want to stir-fry the bitter melon longer: for about 3 minutes, until it begins to soften.
6. Add the bitter melon in the last stages of stir-frying. In a recipe for Pork With Bitter Melon, it is stir-fried for a minute and then simmered with pork and Chinese black beans in chicken broth. The pronounced flavor of the black beans helps counteract bitter melon’s strong taste.

Note: Bitter melon can also be steamed. A popular dish consists of stuffing the bitter melon with a mixture of ground pork and seasonings, then steaming it for 20 minutes and topping with a sauce made with Chinese black beans.