Bittermelon, Tofu, Egg Stir-Fry
These are the three bittermelon varieties that I usually come across - the green Chinese bittermelon, the spiny green Indian bittermelon and the less common white Chinese bittermelon. I like all three but tend to choose the specific variety depending on what is going to be dished up. For example, green Chinese bittermelon for Bittermleon Egg Drop Soup, Stir-Fry Bittermelon with Egg; white Chinese bittermelon for Bittermelon Salad; Indian bittermelon for Spiced-Fried Bittermelon or Spiced Roasted Bittermelon.
These bittermelons can be used interchangeably for the different dishes. For example, I have used Chinese bittermelon to make Indian-style bittermelon curry and it has worked very well.
The wild bittermelon (Japanese Goya 山苦瓜) stir-fry is a very common dish in Okinawa home-cooking and it is typically cooked with pork, tofu and egg. Since I cannot find the Okinawan-type bittermelon, I substituted it with the Indian bittermelon which I thought, resembles the spiny Japanese Goya, just shorter in length.
Bittermelon, Tofu, Egg Stir-Fry
Ingredients;
3 small Indian Bittermelon, thinly sliced, sprinkle and rub with salt, leave to stand for about 15mins; then rinse away salt with water. Leave to dry
1 block organic medium or firm tofu, 14-16oz, remove the water from the tofu pack, roughly chopped to bite-sizes and pat tofu dry
2 organic eggs, lightly whisked
1/2 onion, finely minced
3 cloves garlic finely minced
Leftover rotisserie chicken (optional and can be replaced with sliced or ground meat if you wish; or omit if vegetarian)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp toasted sesame oil to finish off
Directions: Brown the tofu in a oiled heated pan. This will take about 5-8 mins. Remove the tofu and set aside. Add 1tbsp of oil, fry the onions, add the bittemelon, garlic, chicken (optional), stir-fry to mix thoroughly and cook the bittermelon, covering the pan in the process so that the cooking steam will continue to cook (and soften) the bittermelon, about 8 mins. When bittermelon is almost cooked, add in the tofu, mix thoroughly and allow all the flavors to meld. Gently pour in whisked egg across the bittermelon-tofu mix and allow the egg to be cooked. Salt and pepper to taste and sesame oil to finish off the dish.
Tag: bittermelon tofu stir-fry
Post a Comment