Chinese Salted Egg Bitter Gourd is a traditional Hakka dish which is extremely easy to cook and delicious in taste. Bitter gourd, also known as bitter melon may not be commonly used in Western cuisine but it is very popular in Asian cuisines especially for its health benefits. Bitter gourd is a good source of several vitamins and is known to help lower blood sugar levels. It is also diet friendly as it is very low in fat. As this gourd is an acquired taste, it is seldom eaten by itself. Instead it is always added in soups, stews, stir-fry dishes and healthy juice drinks. Salted egg added also masks the bitter taste so you can hardly detect any bitter taste, only the fragrance from the salted egg yolk.
Chinese Salted Egg Bitter Gourd
Serving For 4people | Prep Time 20minutes | Cook Time 15minutes |
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- To cook this dish, first prepare all ingredients needed for this dish.
To cook this dish, first prepare all ingredients needed for this dish. - Cut bitter gourd into half lengthwise.
Cut bitter gourd into half lengthwise. - Using a spoon, scrape to remove all the seeds with membranes and pith, leaving only a thin layer of white flesh to the green skin of the bitter gourd.
Using a spoon, scrape to remove all the seeds with membranes and pith, leaving only a thin layer of white flesh to the green skin of the bitter gourd. - Then cut bitter gourd into 3 mm thick slices.
Then cut bitter gourd into 3 mm thick slices. - After cutting into slices, rub the bitter gourd with salt.
After cutting into slices, rub the bitter gourd with salt. - Then rinse with water to get rid of the bitter taste.
Then rinse with water to get rid of the bitter taste. - Place the salted duck egg yolks in a steamer.
Place the salted duck egg yolks in a steamer. - Steam the salted egg yolks till cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Steam the salted egg yolks till cooked through, about 5 minutes. - Using a fork, mashed the cooked salted egg yolks. Now, we are ready to stir fry the bitter gourd.
Using a fork, mashed the cooked salted egg yolks. Now, we are ready to stir fry the bitter gourd. - To stir fry, first heat up 1 tablespoon oil in wok.
To stir fry, first heat up 1 tablespoon oil in wok. - Add in bitter gourd and chicken stock granules.
Add in bitter gourd and chicken stock granules. - Stir fry for about 2 minutes.
Stir fry for about 2 minutes. - Then dish up and set aside.
Then dish up and set aside. - In the same wok, heat up the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
In the same wok, heat up the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. - Add in chopped garlic and spring onions. Saute till fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add in chopped garlic and spring onions. Saute till fragrant, about 2 minutes. - Add mashed salted egg yolks and stir fry till aromatic.
Add mashed salted egg yolks and stir fry till aromatic. - Then add the fried bitter gourd.
Then add the fried bitter gourd. - Next add the white pepper and sugar.
Next add the white pepper and sugar. - Lastly add in water.
Lastly add in water. - Cover and cook over medium heat.
Cover and cook over medium heat. - Cook till water dries up and bitter gourd turns soft. Season to taste.
Cook till water dries up and bitter gourd turns soft. Season to taste. - Dish onto serving plate and serve hot with steamed rice. This dish goes very well with porridge too.
Dish onto serving plate and serve hot with steamed rice. This dish goes very well with porridge too.
Choose bitter gourd that is big, has broad lines on the surface and is lighter green in colour if you do not like the bitter taste from the gourd. Darker green colour bitter gourd tastes more bitter somehow.
Salted eggs are actually from duck eggs and they are readily available in most chinese grocery stores.
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