Bitter Gourd

Bitter gourd is a climbing annual vine of the gourd family with deeply lobed leaves, yellow flowers and warty, intensely bitter fruits. It is grown throughout India, including Kerala, where it is a common kitchen vegetable known as pavakka.

Known in Sanskrit as Karavellaka, the fruit and leaf are used in Ayurveda and traditional cooking for digestive comfort and general wellness. Its bitterness is valued as a balancing taste in the Indian diet.