Momordica charantia - Bitter Gourd

Bitter gourd cooked with minced pork is one of my favourite dishes. I never knew that bitter gourd has a scientific name that sounds like royalty (Momordica charantia) nor did I know that it comes from a family called Cucurbitaceae. I happened to be waiting around this area in a housing estated that looked like someone's vegetable garden.

Attracted by the flowers (as usual) I soon noticed the fruits hidden amongst the large leaves.

The yellow flowers were small with cheery, yellow petals.

Last night, a friend suggested that I should start a vegetable patch in my garden as she has grown capsicums, ladies' fingers and chye sim in her apartment and she kept them in pots.

The thought of me labouring over a vegetable patch is not a very exciting idea till my husband retires so that he can be in charge of the labouring while I reap and photograph the fruits of his labour. Till then, I am contented to support the Singapore farmers by buying their products and hope that more land will be freed for fruits and vegetables to be farmed locally.