AMPALAYA
scientific name: Momordica charantia
ampalaya
bitter melon
ampalaya
bitter gourd
dahon ng ampalaya
leaves of the bitter melon
The plant is a vine with tendrils. The fruit is notable for having green, thickly wrinkled skin and tasting very bitter. A popular Filipino preparation of ampalaya in the Philippines is to stir-fry slices of the gourd with ground beef.
Ampalaya may also be included in the Filipino dish pinakbet, a vegetable stew that includes bagoong as a main flavoring.