Can anybody tell me what this is? I'm picking my neighbor's garden while they're gone and have no idea.
It's growing on a vine.
Is this some sort of cucumber?
It's bitter melon.
What do you do with it? I assume it's edible since it was in her garden.
Edible, but an acquired taste. One of those love it or hate it vegetables. It can be used in lots of Chinese or southeastern dishes. http://chinesefood.about.com/od/vegetablesrecipes/ss/bitter-melon.htm
There are certain ways to prepare it. It is suppose to good for diabetes.
There are many bitter melon species and hybrids offered by Asian seed companies. I'm mostly familiar with the slightly smoother and larger Chinese varieties as an ingredient in stir fried dishes, soups and stews. As Dill said, it's definitely an acquired taste. The only opportunity for me to indulge is to order off menu at one of our ethnic Asian restaurants. I grew up in South Florida, traveling frequently throughout the Caribbean. Bitter melon is popular there too because of the Indian influence. It's great in curries.
Bitter melon has many purported health benefits; among them the tempering or control of blood sugar levels and what is described as " body cleansing". There is information online. I've never used it for health benefits. In these situations the gourds are brought to various levels of maturity and used in different ways depending on what health benefits one seeks. It should not be eaten by pregnant women (contraindicated) because it can induce contractions and bleeding.
So, do you get to keep the absentee neighbor's bounty? If so, maybe look for a recipe for stuffed bitter melon or use a little bit in a stir fry with lots of other vegetables. Don't try it straight up fried and definitely don't eat it raw.
Laurel