Bittergourd (Bittermelon) & Pork Slices Stir-Fried with Bean Paste | BIG Bites MY

Bittergourd (Bittermelon) & Pork Slices Stir-Fried with Bean Paste

Once in a while it's nice to eat something bitter for a change.

Prepping is quick and easy, but there is a wait time for the bittergourd to sweat after it's been cured with salt. So if I plan my meal in advance, I will prepare the bittergourd the night before and let it sit in the fridge. Rinse to get rid of the salt the next day just before cooking.

With preparation and cook time of under 30 minutes, this is really SO EASY LAH! The recipe shown here feeds one, just double up accordingly if you are cooking for more.

So good with a bowl of hot rice!

Watch video for step-by-step method of preparation

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD

Prep time: 15 minutes + 1 hour (curing time)

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serving: 1 (increase portions accordingly if you are cooking for more)

Ingredients:
Part 1:

• 1/3 bittergourd (small size)
• 1 tablespoon salt

Part 2:

• 100g lean pork slices
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon corn flour
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper powder

Part 3:

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon bean paste
• 1 teaspoon Shao Xing wine
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 Thai chili
• 1 tablespoon corn flour
• 5 tablespoons water

 

Method:
Part 1:

1. Split 1/3 of a small sized bittergourd into halves and remove core and seeds
2. Slice bittergourd (3mm to 4mm thickness)
3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt over bittergourd and rub it in
4. Set aside for at least an hour to let it sweat (Salt will draw out some of the bitterness when the bittergourd starts sweating. I prefer to do this the night before and leave it in the fridge to cure.)
5. After an hour, rinse bittergourd well to wash away the salt. Then it's ready for cooking.

Part 2:

1. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, corn flour and white pepper powder to lean pork slices
2. Mix well and set aside to marinate

Part 3:

1. Heat oil over medium low heat
2. Add garlic and saute till lightly browned
3. Add bean paste and stir-fry until fragrant
4. Add bittergourd and stir-fry until soften
5. Add lean pork slices
6. Add 4 tablespoons of water and let it simmer for a while
7. Add sugar
8. Taste and flavor to your liking
9. Add Thai chili and Shao Xing wine
10. Add 1 tablespoon of water to 1 tablespoon of corn flour to make a cornstarch slurry. Add cornstarch slurry bit by bit to thicken sauce.
11. Ready to be served when gravy is at a consistency you like