bitter melon soup is prepared using bitter melon as a primary ingredient, and is a part of chinese cuisine. in cantonese, bitter melon is referred to as "the cooling melon," using the term "leung gwa". in the region of china's pearl river delta, bitter melon soup is prepared from fresh melons during the summer, and also from dried bitter melon powder during other seasons. it may be prepared including fish such as bass or carp.