Canh Kho Qua (Bitter Gourd Soup)
As a kid, I used to gag every time mom shoved Canh Kho Qua down my throat. I was too young to appriecate the bitterness of life -I mean Kho Qua- but now I couldn’t resist that wonderful tang. Canh Kho Qua is not only delectable to eat but good for your health as well. If you have diabetes, Canh Kho Qua would be great for you. When you’re eating too much hot and oily stuff, Canh Kho Qua will cool down your body system. It’s a great soup to add to your daily meals.
Speaking of Kho Qua, does anyone know where the name came from? It’s a very interesting name. I always thought kho means miserable which refers to the bitterness of the melon. Qua means done or over. So if you eat Canh Kho Qua, you won’t be miserable anymore. Right?
Kho^? = Misery, Qua = Over = Gone (away)
-The misery is over or gone. I like that!
Kho^? = Dda(‘ng (Bitter), Qua = Du*a hay Mu*o*’p (momordica)
Kho^? Qua = Bitter Lemon or Bitter Gourd.
My favorite is Canh Kho^? Qua Do^`n Ca’ Tha’c La’c or Ca’ Sa^’u (Crocodile meat.)
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Oh yeah! Canh Kho Qua don Ca Thac Lac is also amazingly goodd but I never taste with Ca Map.
2 glasses of water before you eat? Man, I’ll be too full to eat.
So even Mr. Knowlegdeable Trung doesn’t know the answer to why we call Kho Qua? :)
Sorry, I wish I do!
Don’t worry about it, bro. I was just teasing you :)
Cây kho^? qua = Momordica charantia
I still refuse to eat Canh Kho Qua when my mother cooks it. Perhaps, I am still too young to taste the bitterness of life, though, I’m not all that clueless about life’s bitterness. I commend those who are able to eat kho qua.
Thuy, you’re still too young kiddo. It seems like you have a bright and shine future ahead of you. So stick your chest out and keep your head up.
Hehe I STILL can’t eat kho qua… argh..bitter.
Kho qua is a transliteration of its chinese name kugua. :) And trung is right ku=bitter, gua=fruit.
I thought “Gua” means something like a “gourd” or “melon”. Like a watermelon is called “Hsi gua”, and a winter melon is called a “Tung Gua”. So in that sense, “Ku-Gua” means “bitter melon”. So forget about “Qua” meaning “very or over” Donny.:o)
Thanks guys. I knew someone would know the answer.
So Kho Qua is trasliterated from Ku Gua (Chinese). Thanks for sharing the infomation, Hung & Ha.
Another Additional information that I found:
Northern Vietnamese call “Mu*o*’p Dda(‘ng”
Southern Vietnameses call “Kho^? Qua”
Common name: pomme de merveille, pomo balsamo, balsamini longa, muop dang, tsuru reishi, bittergourd, bitter melon, balsam pear, sopropo, arsorossie, ku gua foo, pare, peria, karela, balsamina, balsamapfel, mara.
There’re hundred different kinds and shapes.
Nah Trung, in the south we call “ho qua.” I just learnt the proper term for it.
haha! nooo…”ho wa” in America
Hu~ Qua (Southern accent)
Wow, very impressive website and interesting posts, so I just wanted to leave a note. Now I know what kho qua means. I used to screamed kho^? qua’ each time my mom shoved canh kho qua down my throat :-).
kho^? qua :) I like that.
“An canh gi ma sao kho qua vay?”
I love canh kho qua
Who can tell me the exact effect of kho qua. Since I just have general information about it is that it’s good for health, I do not know exactly what it can bring to our body?
I also love kho qua very much and I intend to drink the raw kho qua but not to drink canh kho qua. So, I need the information about it to avoid the side effect.
I love canh kho hoa. I think only the Southerners eat them. Most Bac don’t. My 2 and 4 year old love them. In the summer, we eat it once a week. They love canh kho hoa so much that somestimes they ask for it. I stuff my kho hoa with ground pork, shimp, glass noodles, and mushrooms.
yummmmm!!!!
mmm I remember sometime it depends on how/who cooks it for it to be bitter or not.I remeber a few times it was quite sweet in flavour the soup. ^_^ its enjoyable at times