Stir fry hairy gourd with glass noodles - it's the Hairy God Mother

Have you heard of the Hairy God Gourd ? Oh no, not the Fairy God Mother. Feeling fuzzy like fuzzy logic? You have reason to. Another case of misleading identities or one identity - too many names - Haired gourd, fuzzy gourd, fuzzy squash, mao gua, mo kwa, hairy cucumber, joined gourd. Now...Fairy God Mother's magic wand (*bling*) will not turn a hairy gourd into a hairy carriage but you can always turn the hairy gourd into a delicious homemade dish. I'm bringing hairy gourd to Katie, at Thyme for Cooking at WHB #99.



Now...let's get more fuzzy with this plant. For simplicity sake, let's call it by its other name - Little Winter Melon. Hairy gourd is indeed a small version of Winter Melon. These little winter melons are cylinder shape, about 2inches in diameter, with hairy(prickly) green skin, and are picked for vegetable use when young. The white flesh is firm and mildly sweet. Yes, the skin is prickly.

Ouch!

These little winter melons can be used in a Chinese stir fry, in soups, steamed or braised, without much seasonings required. You can stuff them with chicken/pork like in bittergourds, or cook them in soups. Naturally sweet and tasty. I did this stir fry (without a guided recipe) while drooling over a picture of a homemade dish at a food blog.

Stir fry hairy gourd or little winter melon with mushrooms, and glass noodles


Ingredients: Hairy gourd peeled off skin and cut into thin strips, shitake mushrooms - julienned, 1 clove garlic-minced, Chinese dried shrimps(haebee) soaked in warm water for few mins then drain away water, glass noodles soaked in warm water till soften, chicken or veg broth (or water), 1-2tsp oyster sauce, pepper to taste.

Method:
1. Heat oil at low-medium in frying pan
2. Add garlic and chinese dried shrimps and fry till aromatic
3. Add in mushrooms and hairy gourd, lightly fry for 5mins, mixing well with garlic and dried shrimps.
4. When slightly softened, add in oyster sauce, then water/broth and slowly let simmer 6-8mins, or till hairy gourd is soft. Add in pepper to taste.
5. When almost ready, add in glass noodles and mix well

Thanks, Keropokman. I cooked this (from imagination) based on the key ingredients you mentioned - hairy gourd, mushrooms, glass noodles, and the picture you posted. I added some haebee though. Did your aunt use any other secret ingredient?

Very tasty and quite light. Love it!

Do you know this hairy friend ? How have you seen this in your dish ?

Tag: glass noodles, hairy gourd, winter melon, stir fry