New Delhi, May 16 (IANS). Bitter gourd is considered very beneficial in terms of health. It helps in controlling sugar in the body, keeping the stomach healthy and reducing weight. However, many people do not like to eat it just because of its bitter taste. But if some easy home remedies are tried, the bitterness of bitter gourd can be reduced significantly. This also makes it taste better.
Actually, some natural chemicals are found in bitter gourd, due to which its taste is bitter. When we eat bitter gourd, our tongue immediately recognizes these bitter elements. But substances like salt, curd, onion, turmeric and mustard oil help in reducing the effect of these elements.
First of all, if we talk about salt, it is considered the most effective way to reduce the bitterness of bitter gourd. When salt is applied on bitter gourd, it starts expelling the water present inside it. With this water, the bitter elements of bitter gourd also slowly start coming out. After some time, the taste of bitter gourd starts becoming lighter than before. Later, when it is washed with water, much of the bitterness is gone.
Curd also helps a lot in removing the bitterness of bitter gourd. Curd has a slight sourness, which makes the bitter taste less felt on the tongue. The taste of curd feels balanced on our tongue and it suppresses the bitterness of bitter gourd. Apart from this, the bacteria and lactic acid present in curd affect the upper part of the bitter gourd, making its taste a bit bland.
The effect of turmeric works in a slightly different way. Scientists believe that turmeric has a strong aroma and special natural ingredients, which help in changing the taste of food. When turmeric is applied to bitter gourd, its aroma and mild pungency starts reducing the bitterness. Apart from this, an element called curcumin present in turmeric can help in balancing the taste.
Onion is also considered very effective in this case. When bitter gourd is cooked with onion, the sweetness of the onion balances the bitterness. Scientists say that our tongue feels many tastes simultaneously. In such a situation, when sweet and bitter tastes come together, bitterness is felt less. This is the reason why many people find bitter gourd made with onion more delicious.
Mustard oil is also very helpful in this work. Mustard oil has a strong aroma and pungent taste. It slightly changes the way we perceive taste. When bitter gourd is cooked in mustard oil, the aroma and flavor of the oil overpowers the bitterness. Apart from this, such natural elements are found in mustard oil, which add taste to the food.
–IANS
PK/PM