Bitter melon is, as its name indicates, a type of melon and it is, of course, bitter. In standard Japanese, it is called niga-uri, which translates literally as “bitter melon,” but in Okinawa it is called “gōya” or “gōyā” and these ways of referring to bitter melon have taken hold throughout Japan.

Cut Gōya for Gōya Chanpuru

Cut Gōya for Gōya Chanpuru

Gōya is rich in nutrients, such as vitamin C and a type of protein said to be good for the stomach, and is eaten to ward off summertime fatigue. Gōya is also the star of a very popular traditional Okinawan dish called “gōya chanpuru.”

 

Text by Kitchen Nippon