Stuffed Bitter Melon (苦瓜釀肉)
Stuffed Bitter Melon (苦瓜釀肉)
Ingredients
For the Stuffed Bitter Melon
- 1 bitter melon, medium size, approximately 500g
- 300 grams minced pork
- 1 teaspoon salt, for pork filling
- 1 teaspoon sugar, for pork filling
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, for pork filling
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, for pork filling
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, for pork filling
- 1 tablespoon cooking wine, for pork filling
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, for pork filling
- 20 ml water, for pork filling
- a pinch salt, for blanching bitter melon
- a few drops cooking oil, for blanching bitter melon
- as needed water, for steaming
For the Sauce
- 100 ml water
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small piece ginger, finely chopped
- 1 red chili, chopped, optional
- as needed green onion, chopped, for garnish
- as needed cooking oil, for sautéing
Instructions
- 1
Wash the bitter melon and cut it into 5-6 equal, thick sections (about 1-inch thick rounds). Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the seeds and the white pith from the center of each bitter melon section to reduce bitterness.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Boil water in a pot. Add a pinch of salt and a few drops of cooking oil to the boiling water. Blanch the bitter melon sections in the boiling water for exactly 1 minute. Remove the blanched bitter melon sections and drain them well.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 100
- 3
In a mixing bowl, combine the 300 grams of minced pork with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of cooking wine, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and 20 ml of water. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in one direction (e.g., clockwise) until the pork mixture becomes sticky and well combined.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Take each blanched bitter melon section and generously stuff it with the prepared pork filling. Gently press the filling to ensure it is compact and adheres well to the bitter melon.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Arrange the stuffed bitter melon sections upright in a steaming plate. Place the plate into a steamer. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 100
- 6
While the bitter melon is steaming, prepare the sauce. Finely chop 3 cloves of garlic, a small piece of ginger, and 1 red chili (if using). In a separate small bowl, combine 100 ml of water, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Stir the sauce mixture well until the cornstarch is dissolved and all ingredients are combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
After 10 minutes of steaming, carefully remove the steamed bitter melon from the steamer. Heat a clean pan with a little cooking oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic, ginger, and red chili (if using) to the pan. Sauté until fragrant.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the pan. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Pour the thickened sauce evenly over the steamed stuffed bitter melon. Garnish with freshly chopped green onion before serving.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Stuffed Bitter Melon (苦瓜釀肉)
For the Stuffed Bitter Melon
- 1 bitter melon, medium size, approximately 500g
- 300 grams minced pork
- 1 teaspoon salt, for pork filling
- 1 teaspoon sugar, for pork filling
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, for pork filling
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, for pork filling
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, for pork filling
- 1 tablespoon cooking wine, for pork filling
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, for pork filling
- 20 ml water, for pork filling
- a pinch salt, for blanching bitter melon
- a few drops cooking oil, for blanching bitter melon
- as needed water, for steaming
For the Sauce
- 100 ml water
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small piece ginger, finely chopped
- 1 red chili, chopped, optional
- as needed green onion, chopped, for garnish
- as needed cooking oil, for sautéing
Instructions
- 1
Wash the bitter melon and cut it into 5-6 equal, thick sections (about 1-inch thick rounds). Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the seeds and the white pith from the center of each bitter melon section to reduce bitterness.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Boil water in a pot. Add a pinch of salt and a few drops of cooking oil to the boiling water. Blanch the bitter melon sections in the boiling water for exactly 1 minute. Remove the blanched bitter melon sections and drain them well.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 100 - 3
In a mixing bowl, combine the 300 grams of minced pork with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of cooking wine, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and 20 ml of water. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in one direction (e.g., clockwise) until the pork mixture becomes sticky and well combined.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Take each blanched bitter melon section and generously stuff it with the prepared pork filling. Gently press the filling to ensure it is compact and adheres well to the bitter melon.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Arrange the stuffed bitter melon sections upright in a steaming plate. Place the plate into a steamer. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 100 - 6
While the bitter melon is steaming, prepare the sauce. Finely chop 3 cloves of garlic, a small piece of ginger, and 1 red chili (if using). In a separate small bowl, combine 100 ml of water, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Stir the sauce mixture well until the cornstarch is dissolved and all ingredients are combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
After 10 minutes of steaming, carefully remove the steamed bitter melon from the steamer. Heat a clean pan with a little cooking oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic, ginger, and red chili (if using) to the pan. Sauté until fragrant.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the pan. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Pour the thickened sauce evenly over the steamed stuffed bitter melon. Garnish with freshly chopped green onion before serving.
⏱️ 2 min