Bitter Melon with Shrimp

This is not my photo.

Bitter Melon, also known as Bitter Gourd is an Asian vegetable that is known for healing properties. It can lower blood sugar,  a component of the seeds can possibly prevent HIV from infecting human cells, and the extract can  be used to slow the spread of cancer to cells. More research is needed to make sure that these uses are warranted and are feasible. It also may lower triglyceride levels. Here is a link that explains these uses in further detail.

The seeds and peel should be removed as they may cause headaches in some people. Bitter melon is safe to consume and is used throughout the Far East, South America, India, Africa and throughout the Caribbean.

Here is a simple recipe that uses bitter melon that I found while I was looking for recipes that used this vegetable. I kept on seeing it at Tan-A and was wondering what to do with it and Chris and I both thought that this stir fry looked wonderful.

I will be salting my bitter melon and placing it in a colander for about an hour to make this melon less bitter, then blanching it and finally shocking it in cold water before cooking.

Wow, this is very bitter so bitter we couldn't eat it....It looks better than it tastes.

Saag Paneer/Palak Paneer

I have been wanting to try this for years, and I am just now getting around to trying it out. Cheese and spicy spinach in a cream sauce, how can you go wrong? I have read about this and was determined to make it, I was even going to attempt to make my own Paneer (which I have read is simple to do), but Chris and I went into Richmond and to the Indian Grocer and I got not one but two packages of Paneer (by mistake, they were stuck together) so I just hope that both of us like Paneer If you are vegan, use soy creamer or soy sour cream thinned out with soy milk and tofu. I decided to go with this recipe from Show Me The Curry. I also decided to go with sour cream instead of the whipping cream called for to save calories. I am using reduced fat paneer that I got from Laxmi  Palace (Indian Grocer). This seems like an easy enough recipe, we are eating the curry without chapatis or rice.

So how was it? OH my goodness, it is amazing! Now I am glad that I accidentally picked up two packs of Paneer! Spicy, creamy deliciousness! The Paneer was chewy cheesy deliciousness. This recipe was very authentic and tasted like something I would get from an upscale Indian Restaurant. Make sure that you soak the Paneer after you fry it, it makes it softer, and lightly squeeze the water out.