They call a person who’s bitter about life, another person or experience, an ampalaya. Gay lingo has a term for it, bitter ocampo, after the actor, but where is he now?
Poor, good old ampalaya. Very nutritious pa naman siya.
Do you know where all that bitterness in ampalaya, also known as bitter gourd, comes from?
All parts of the plant, including the fruit, are bitter due to the presence of a compound called momordicin.
This can increase the renewal of beta-cells in the pancreas.
Ampalaya, which is counted as a fruit is known as “karela” in India, and as “bitter gourd” or “bitter squash” in many other countries.
It is also sometimes known as bitter melon.
How can one reduce the bitterness from ampalaya?
I ask, why should you?
But, anyway, old folks say you should crush the sliced ampalaya with salt before cooking.
There are other ways, as suggested by Google.
Scrape off the rough or rugged surface.
Remove the seeds.
Soak in diluted yoghurt.
Soak in tamarind juice.
Add sugar.
Cook together with a neutralizing vegetable.
Boil in salt water.
TRIVIA PA MORE (Various Sources): The ripe fruit of the duhat is considered an efficient remedy for diabetes mellitus.
Atis leaves, applied as a poultice, can treat dyspepsia in children. Crushed seeds soaked in coconut oil may be applied on the scalp to get rid of lice, says the book, The Best 100 Philippine Medicinal Plants.
Send your questions on anything and everything to Kuya Kim through my Twitter account @kuyakim_atienza using #AlaminKayKuyaKim.
