Recipe - Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon

STUFFING
One half pound Pork, ground [I minced it
with cleavers. S.C.]
4 Fresh water chestnuts,
peeled and finely minced
1 teaspoon Minced fresh ginger root
2 tablespoon Minced scallion
1 One half tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
One half teaspoon Salt
One half teaspoon Sugar
1 tablespoon Thin soy sauce
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
2 lg Bitter melons, about Three fourths to
1 lb.

SAUCE
2 tablespoon Peanut oil
2 teaspoon Minced garlic
1 One half tablespoon Fermented black beans
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
Three fourths cup Chicken broth
Salt to taste
One half teaspoon Cornstarch mixed with 1
teaspoon cold chicken broth
1 tablespoon Sesame oil
From Ken Hom's book,
Chinese Technique.

Combine the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl. Mix them
thoroughly. The hands are the best tool for this job.

Cut the bitter melon into 1inch slices; discard the end pieces. With
a paring knife, trim out the insides. Lift them out. Stuff the
cavity of each slice with a generous spoonful of stuffing.

Arrange the stuffed pieces of vegetable on a plate and set the plate
on a trivet in a wok over enough hot water to come within 1 inch of
the plate. Cover the wok and steam the food for 20 minutes. Remove
the platter and trivet.

In a separate wok or pan, prepare the sauce. First heat 2 tablespoons
peanut oil. Add the garlic and fermented black beans, stir for a
minute, then add the Shaoxing wine, chicken stock and salt. Add the
liquid that results from the steaming of the melon. Bring the
mixture to a boil. Thicken with the dissolved cornstarch and flavor
with sesame oil.

Pour the sauce over the bitter melons and serve.

Serves 2 as a main course.

NOTE: Hom makes no mention of blanching although another bitter melon
recipe in another book *does* say that it will cut the bitterness.

Posted by Stephen Ceideburg; February 25 1991.

File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/cberg2.zip