Bitter gourd.

Bitter gourd, mara in Thai, is a long gourd with knobbly, ridged skin, usually pale to mid green. The flesh is firm and crisp, and the taste is, as the name says, clearly bitter. People who grow up with it often love that bitterness. Cut it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and the white pith, then slice. Thin slices, a quick blanch or a pinch of salt rubbed in and rinsed off all soften the bitterness a little.

Ways to use it

• Make kaeng jued mara, a clear soup with whole gourd pieces stuffed with seasoned minced pork.
• Stir fry thin slices with beaten egg and a little fish sauce or soy sauce.
• Blanch slices and eat them with nam prik.
• Stir fry with pork, garlic and fermented black beans.

Storing it

Keep the gourd whole and unwashed in the fridge drawer and use it within a few days. It's past its best once it turns yellow or orange and softens. Wash it under running water just before you cut it.

Where it comes from

Grown to certified organic standards. The certificate for each lot is shown when you trace your pack.

Every pack will carry a lot code. Enter it on the Trace your pack page and you will see the farms in that lot, the harvest date and the certificate.