Bitter melon is a vegetable most of us have to learn to love, but it deserves to be given a chance. Here’s why, with a stir-fry recipe featuring the acerbic gourd.
On a hot summer’s day, Chinese cooks will allude to the “cooling” quality of the squash. Medicinal properties aside, stir-fried melon is a refreshing dish that’s worth looking into, even if it takes an acquired palate to appreciate.
Bitter Melon Stir Fry With Pork
Difficulty: Medium3
servings15
minutes10
minutes339
kcalBitter melon is a vegetable that originated in India. It was introduced to China in the 14th century and remains a popular vegetable in Chinese cuisine, as well as Southeast Asian cooking. It can be crunchy or soft, depending on the preparation. And as the name suggests, it has a bitter flavor. Par-boiling and then pairing the vegetable with tender pork and a flavorful sauce will mellow that bitterness.
Serve this recipe as a tasty main dish with a simple side dish of steamed rice or freshly boiled noodles. It's quick enough to cook on a weeknight.
Ingredients
1 pound bitter melon
1/2 pound lean pork
1 1/2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine or sherry
1 pinch freshly ground black or white pepper
3 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon sherry
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Chinese salted fermented black beans
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (as needed)
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Gather the ingredients.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Cut the ends off the bitter melon and cut in half lengthwise (do not peel).
- Remove the seeds and pith from the middle of the melon with a small spoon.
- Cut the melon diagonally into 1/4-inch slices.
- Place the sliced bitter melon in the boiling water and parboil until it is just tender, about 2 to 3 minutes, then drain.
- Cut the pork across the grain into very thin, 1/8-inch thick slices that are 1 1/2 to 2 inches long.
- Place in a bowl and add the soy sauce, rice wine (or the same amount of sherry), pepper, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Stir to combine and let the pork marinate while preparing the other ingredients.
- In a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, sherry, and sugar.
- In a separate small bowl, dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water.
- Rinse the black beans to remove excess salt. Mash the beans with the side of a cleaver or knife.
- Stir together the beans and chopped garlic with a small amount of water.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the bean and garlic mixture.
- Cook, stirring for about 15 seconds until aromatic, then add the pork. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pork turns white and is nearly cooked. Remove the pork from the pan.
- Heat 1 to 2 teaspoons oil in the wok, as needed. When the oil is hot, add the bitter melon. Stir-fry for a minute, then pour in the chicken broth mixture. Add the pork back into the pan, stirring to mix everything together.
- Cover and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Re-stir the cornstarch and water mixture. Push the other ingredients to the sides of the wok and add it to the chicken broth in the middle of the wok, stirring to thicken. Stir everything together, stir in the sesame oil, and season with salt or pepper if desired.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- There are a couple of varieties of bitter melon. The Chinese variety is green and the Taiwanese variety is white and tends to be softer in texture and more bitter.
- The skin is edible so there's no need to peel before cooking.
