One of the most intimidating-looking summer vegetables is the bitter melon. Dark green and very knobbly on the surface, it looks like a vegetal relative of Godzilla.
Even more intimidating is its pronounced bitter flavor, which is definitely an acquired taste. Nevertheless, it's well worth adding to your diet. Bitter melon is a great source of vitamin C, and the compounds that give the fruit its bitter taste, called momordicines, are purported to have several beneficial properties.
Originally from the tropical regions of Asia, the bitter melon was probably introduced to the Ryukyu Kingdom (present-day Okinawa) from China in the late 16th century, and from there it made its way to mainland Japan.