Wild Bitter Gourd in Kalinga

                  For children, seeing a bitter gourd served on plate will bring them to freaky reactions. The bitter after-taste lingers in their mind and the lovely mothers will think another play strategy to encourage them to eat the veggie. I had been in the same hot spot during my childhood years, the feeling that scares me of not surviving after engulfing the meal.

                Years passed by, things had changed in terms of health-conscious for some people that I’ve known. Eating veggies could maintain one's stamina, and the young vibrant looking will remain unnoticed along the aging process. I am sure, a lot of individuals will raise their eyebrows in a dramatic way, in denial of degeneration of the joints or flabby appearance of the musculature in the body.  The conclusion, no one is getting younger but looking young with the sweetest smile can do the trick.

              In Kalinga, can be found the wild bitter gourd called as “papait”. “Papait” appeared to be a small green pumpkin-like vegetable; it is not commonly seen in the urban areas of the Philippines. A quick grasp on this veggie will make you feel so excited to cook in a pan, thinly-sliced and sauteed with onions and tomatoes. The final outcome, the best wild gourd served on the table.