Bitter Melon Pickles
By Morgan BollingPublished on March 25, 2026
Time
45 minutes, plus 27 hours salting, cooling, and refrigerating
Yield
Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We like the pungency that mustard oil brings to the pickles, but feel free to use all vegetable oil. If using mustard oil, we recommend a cold-pressed one, like Daana Mustard Oil. You can substitute ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper for the Kashmiri chile powder if desired.
Instructions
- Halve 2 bitter melons lengthwise and use spoon to remove seeds and most of white spongy pith; discard seeds and pith. Slice melon ⅛ inch thick then toss with ½ teaspoon table salt in bowl. Let sit 1 hour. Transfer half of melon to center of clean dish towel. Gather ends of towel to form bundle and twist to squeeze out excess water. Transfer to clean bowl and repeat with remaining melon. Transfer melon to colander and rinse well. Let drain for 5 minutes.
- Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil and ¼ cup mustard oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 15 thinly sliced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, and ¼ teaspoon ground cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 6 stemmed Thai chiles, melon, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until melon is softened and some pieces just start to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup cider vinegar and ½ teaspoon sugar and bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Transfer to bowl or clean jars. Press down on melon to make sure it is submerged in liquid, then let cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving (pickles can be refrigerated up to 1 month).
Time
45 minutes, plus 27 hours salting, cooling, and refrigeratingYield
Makes about 3 cupsIngredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Inspired by the bold, tangy-spicy flavors of lime pickles, these bitter melon pickles are a deeply savory condiment. Our version is inspired by a recipe from Dassana Amit. In it, we start by seeding the bitter melons and slicing them thin. Salting and squeezing the melon tames its bitterness and softens its texture. Briefly cooking it with garlic, chiles, and spices tempers its flavor. Just a little sugar helps balance these pickles. A combination of mustard oil and vinegar creates a punchy, aromatic brine that continues to infuse the melon over time.
Before You Begin
We like the pungency that mustard oil brings to the pickles, but feel free to use all vegetable oil. If using mustard oil, we recommend a cold-pressed one, like Daana Mustard Oil. You can substitute ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper for the Kashmiri chile powder if desired.
Instructions
- Halve 2 bitter melons lengthwise and use spoon to remove seeds and most of white spongy pith; discard seeds and pith. Slice melon ⅛ inch thick then toss with ½ teaspoon table salt in bowl. Let sit 1 hour. Transfer half of melon to center of clean dish towel. Gather ends of towel to form bundle and twist to squeeze out excess water. Transfer to clean bowl and repeat with remaining melon. Transfer melon to colander and rinse well. Let drain for 5 minutes.
- Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil and ¼ cup mustard oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 15 thinly sliced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, and ¼ teaspoon ground cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 6 stemmed Thai chiles, melon, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until melon is softened and some pieces just start to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup cider vinegar and ½ teaspoon sugar and bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Transfer to bowl or clean jars. Press down on melon to make sure it is submerged in liquid, then let cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving (pickles can be refrigerated up to 1 month).
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