Look at the beautiful green bitter melons or bitter gourds above. We have two varieties - the bigger sized one is the China phenotype and smaller Indian type. The Chinese type is oblong with bluntly tapering ends and pale green in color, with a gently undulating, warty surface.
The Indian type has a narrower shape with pointed ends, and a surface covered with jagged, triangular "teeth" and ridges. Did you know that the bitter melon originated in India, and it was carried to China in the 14th century? Both types are used for cooking but from what I know the smaller type is used as a traditional cure for diabetes.
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