I must admit, bitter gourd is my least favourite among all vegetables because of its taste. But if the bitter gourd is properly prepared and cooked in a style that I like, I really don’t mind having it every now and then because it has amazing health benefits which include lowering bad cholesterol level, cleansing the liver, strengthening immunity and more.
This Stir Fried Bitter Gourd Recipe is a quick and easy dish to make if everyone in the family likes to eat bitter gourd. It is still slightly bitter but that is somewhat masked by the flavour of the tau cheo (fermented soy beans). Overall, it makes a pretty delicious combination.
After you slice the bitter gourd into half lengthwise and remove the seeds, use a spoon to scrape off as much of the white pith as you can. That will actually help remove some of the bitterness. Alternatively, you can also rub the inside of the bitter gourd with coarse salt and then rinse it clean with tap water.
I choose pork shoulder for this dish because it’s not overly lean (otherwise can turn tough and chewy after cooking) and not extremely fatty (like pork belly) too. Or you can opt for chicken (dark meat is best but breast cut works as well) instead of pork if you prefer a healthier alternative. Enjoy!
- 200g pork shoulder, sliced
- 350g bittergourd, seeded & sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 5 bird’s eye chillies, sliced
- 1 tbsp fermented soy beans (tau cheo)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 100ml water