The first vegetable to be featured in the “Seasonal Eating in Japan” series is goya. Also known as bitter gourd or bitter melon, goya comes into season in summer. It is grown all over Asia and is a staple food of Okinawa. This warty green vegetable resembles a cucumber with some kind of skin disease, and eaten raw its taste isn’t much better that its looks; it is probably one of the most bitter vegetables in the world. Goya needs to be cooked to be edible, and some people say it’s an acquired taste. Judge for yourself with this easy recipe for goya chanpuru, a stir-fried dish that is a specialty of Okinawa.