VEGGIE - Bitter Gourd Braised Meat (苦瓜酿肉）

By Aemelia

Ingredients

• Braising Sauce:
• 1 medium to big size bitter gourd
• 500 grams of minced meat
• 1 tablespoon of corn starch
• 2 cm long of ginger
• 5 shitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon of winter vegetable (optional)
• Dashes of white pepper
• PInches of salt
• Sugar to taste
• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon of light soya sauce
• 1 tablespoon of Chinese cooking wine
• 1 tablespoon of chopped spring onion
• 1 tablespoon fermented black bean (豆豉）
• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• Dashes of white pepper
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic

Details

Adapted from kwgls.wordpress.com

Preparation

Step 1

Pound the ginger to extract the juice. Add it to the minced meat. Add all the other ingredients into the minced meat. Stir until well mixed. Let it marinate for about 1 hour. You can also consider to add salted fish and water chestnuts. But you will have to adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Cut the bitter gourd into your desired height (Suggest about 3-4 cm height).. Either use the finger or a knife to scratch out the centre. If you do not like bitterness, try to get rid the white membrane as much as possible. The bitterness actually comes from this white membrane. Blanch in a pot of hot water with pinches of salt for about 5 minutes. The main purpose of this step can be omitted if you like bitterness. Put some meat into the cavity and make sure that the meat covered the holes by at least 1/2 cm. This is to prevent the meat slipped out the bitter gourd. Steam the bitter gourd in a steamer for about 10-15 minutes or until the shape is firmed before proceed to the next step.

In another pot, put 1 tablespoon of oil, sauté the minced garlic until fragrant. Add 1 cup of water followed by the fermented black beans and oyster sauce. Put in the bitter gourd. Add adequate water just enough to cover the bitter gourd. Bring to boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the bitter gourd reach the desired texture. Adjust the sauce with additional seasonings, salt and etc. if required. For more flavourful bitter gourd, let it rest in the pot for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Best serve as a dish in a typical Chinese set meal.