Best season to travel to Vietnam

Forest Bitter Melon Season

A fruit widely used in Asian cooking that might seem odd and too bitter in taste

Best time: September–November

Forest Bitter Melon Season
Forest Bitter Melon Season

The vine of the plant that bears the long wrinkled and filled with large, flat seeds and pith, fruit can grow up to 5 meters. The flowering season occurs in summer and by early through late autumn the fruiting season begins. When gathered green, the fruit may be cooked in a lot of Asian dishes, but if it ripens to the state of turning orange it can be used in salads uncooked.

The first taste you get from eating the fruit may be not too nice and you might think that this is not worth an effort. However, if you chew on a little bit more, you may discover the sweet and pleasant aftertaste that enriches every dish it is in.

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