Bitter gourd is also known as bitter melon or Momordica Charantia. Many people do not like the bitter taste in this gourd; it is an acquired taste. However, some bitter gourd are milder in bitterness than others. The bitterness is due to the presence of a compound momordicin.
Most of the time we will just stir fry or braise it with meat. At times we will make omelette with it. Stuffed Bitter Gourd can be found very easily at stalls selling Yong Tau Foo. But most of the time the paste is made up of fish and pork. Some housewives make their own Stuffed Bitter Gourd similar to those sold by Yong Tau Foo stalls. After stuffing the bitter gourd with fish or pork paste, they are then deep fried or cooked in soup.
Ingredients:
Most of the time we will just stir fry or braise it with meat. At times we will make omelette with it. Stuffed Bitter Gourd can be found very easily at stalls selling Yong Tau Foo. But most of the time the paste is made up of fish and pork. Some housewives make their own Stuffed Bitter Gourd similar to those sold by Yong Tau Foo stalls. After stuffing the bitter gourd with fish or pork paste, they are then deep fried or cooked in soup.
Ingredients:
- 6 pcs of bitter gourd rings (1 cm thickness)
- 150 g minced meat
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp pepper powder
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 pc shallot
- 2 tsp corn flour
- Cooking oil
- For Soup:
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp pepper powder
Method:
- Remove the seeds from the bitter gourd rings. Remove as much of the white part from these rings as possible.
- Soak bitter gourd rings in salt water for 10 to 15 minutes to get rid of some of the bitterness.
- Chop garlic and shallot and add them to the minced meat.
- Add the seasonings - light soy sauce, salt, pepper and sesame oil - to the minced meat.
- Add corn flour to the minced meat.
- Mix the minced meat with all the ingredients till they are well-combined.
- Stuff the bitter gourd rings with the minced meat. Pack it
- For deep fry:
- Heat up a kuali with cooking oil.
- When the oil is hot, place the stuffed bitter gourd into the kuali.
- Fry till the bottom is golden brown.
- Flip the bitter gourd to the other side.
- Fry till this side is golden brown.
- Remove them onto kitchen towel to soak up excess oil.
- Transfer the Stuffed Bitter Gourd to a serving plate.
- For soup:
- Heat up a hot with sesame oil.
- Saute the garlic till fragrant.
- Add water to the pot.
- Let the water boil.
- Add the stuffed bitter gourd to the pot.
- Add seasonings - light soy sauce, salt, dark soy sauce and pepper to the soup.
- Turn off the fire when the bitter gourd is cooked..
- You may add blanched bihun to the Stuff Bitter Gourd soup.