Recipe - Stir-Fried Beef And Bitter Melon

1 tablespoon Fermented black beans
1 pound Bitter melon
One half pound Lean beef
2 teaspoon Cornstarch
2 teaspoon Soy sauce
One fourth teaspoon Salt
1 pn Sugar
2 tablespoon Water
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
1 Clove garlic
1 One half tablespoon Oil
One fourth teaspoon Salt
1 One half tablespoon Oil
One half cup Stock

1. Soak fermented black beans.

2. Cut bitter melon lengthwise in half. Scoop out seeds; then cut in
1/4inch slices. Parboil 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Slice beef thin against the grain. Combine cornstarch, soy sauce, salt
and sugar. Add to beef and toss to coat.

4. Blend water and remaining cornstarch to a paste. Drain soaked black
beans. Mince garlic and mash with beans.

5. Heat oil. Add remaining salt, then beef. Stirfry until beef loses its
redness (about 2 minutes). Remove from pan.

6. Heat remaining oil. Add black bean mixture and stirfry a few times. Add
bitter melon and stirfry to heat and coat with oil (about 1 minute).

7. Stir in stock and heat quickly. Cook, covered, 2 minutes, over medium
heat.

8. Return beef and stirfry gently to reheat and blend flavors. Then stir
in cornstarch paste to thicken. Serve at once.

From The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook, ISBN 0517658704. Downloaded
from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.