Goya: Bitter Melon
– Kokoro Care
One of the many foods associated with longevity and health in Japanese cuisine, or more specifically Okinawan cuisine, is goya or bitter melon. Although it is often referred to as a ‘gourd’ or a ‘melon,’ it more closely resembles a lumpy, prickly cucumber, and is, in fact, a fruit, not a vegetable. Despite its strang