Bitter Gourd with Salted Egg (咸蛋黄炒苦瓜)

Bitter gourd, also known as bitter melon or bitter squash, is a green vegetable with a distinct bitter taste. It is commonly used in various cuisines, particularly in Asian cooking. In Asia, you’ll find it usually in stir-fries or in soups. This vegetable is valued for its unique flavor and its potential health benefits. It is believed to have cooling properties and is often consumed in the summer months to help combat heat-related ailments. Meanwhile, salted eggs are traditionally made by preserving duck eggs in a mixture of salt and water. The salt draws out the moisture from the eggs, resulting in a firm texture and a salty taste. Salted eggs are commonly used in many Asian dishes for their unique flavor.

Today, I am sharing Bitter gourd with salted egg (咸蛋黄炒苦瓜) recipe which combines two contrasting flavors: the bitterness of bitter gourd and the rich, savory taste of salted egg. It is often enjoyed as a side dish or served with steamed rice as part of a meal. It is a popular dish in many Asian countries, particularly in Chinese cuisines.

The combination of bitter gourd and salted egg creates a dish with a complex flavor profile. The bitterness of the gourd is balanced by the rich and savory taste of the salted egg, resulting in a unique and flavorful dish. Some people might find the bitterness of the gourd too intense, but the salted egg helps to mellow it out and add a salty and creamy element to the dish.

To prepare bitter gourd with salted egg, you need to hard-boil the salted eggs, take out the yolks and then mash or crumble the yolk. The bitter gourd slices are boiled first until soft or stir-fried in a wok with some oil until they become tender. Then, add the mashed salted egg to the pan and mixed with the bitter gourd, coating it evenly. The dish is typically seasoned with garlic, scallion, and sometimes chili for added flavor. That’s basically the steps to make the dish. Let’s get cooking, shall we?

Tool I used:

• Nonstick wok – Easy to clean, heat-up evenly, and, the best part, it is non-stick. Great tool to have for stir-frying, especially under high heat.
• Nonstick pot – Great tool to have for making sauce, boiling eggs, or veggies and, the best part, it is easy to clean.

Tip: There are many ways to reduce the bitterness of bitter gourd, such as scraping off the skin, balance it out with sugar, deep frying it, removing the seed, rubbing it with salt, soaking it with vinegar + sugar mixture, and blanching it. For this recipe, I like to boil the bitter gourd until soft.

Ingredient:

• 1 white bitter gourd or green bitter gourd
• 3 salted egg yolk – steamed and mashed
• 3 cloves garlic – minced
• ½ teaspoon chicken powder
• A pinch of white pepper
• ¼ cup of water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 scallion – sliced thinly (to garnish)
• A pinch of sugar (optional)
• A pinch of salt (optional)

Direction:

• Cut the bitter gourd into half. Use spoon to take the seeds out. Then, cut into thin slices. If the bitter gourd is too thick, you can cut it into quarter, take the seeds out and slice thinly.
• Boil 3-4 cup of water in a pot. Once boiled, add the sliced bitter gourd and boil until they are soft – about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
• In a wok, add the olive oil and heat it up.
• Once heated, add minced garlic and mashed salted egg yolk. Give it a good stir. It will start to be foamy.
• Add the boiled bitter gourd, chicken powder, pepper and ¼ cup of water. Give it a good stir. At this point, you can adjust the seasoning to your liking. Add sugar or salt if needed.
• Turn off the heat. Serve it on a plate and garnish with sliced scallion. Enjoy!