Hakka Stuffed Bitter Melon Recipe
Today I must share with you the amazing Hakka Stuffed Bitter Melon! It's a true classic of Hakka cuisine. The bright green Bitter Melon filled with tender meat filling may look simple, but its taste is extraordinary.
What is Hakka stuffed Bitter Melon?
Hakka stuffed Bitter Melon is a traditional Hakka dish. Pork is made into stuffing and filled into hollowed-out sections of Bitter Melon, and then made by frying and boiling.
This dish has a rich taste. After cooking, Bitter Melon has a certain toughness without losing its tenderness. The bitterness is also cleverly neutralized. The stuffing is fresh and juicy with a rich taste. It matches with Bitter Melon. When eaten, it is moderately salty and fragrant, reflecting the characteristics of Hakka cuisine in cleverly matching and utilizing ingredients.
Is Hakka stuffed Bitter Melon very bitter?
The degree of bitterness of Hakka stuffed Bitter Melon is acceptable to most people and not overly bitter.
The rich taste of the stuffing will neutralize the bitterness of Bitter Melon.
When you taste it, you may first feel the deliciousness of the stuffing and the faint fragrance of Bitter Melon, and then there will be a slight bitterness. And this bitterness will give people a refreshing feeling in the aftertaste.
How to reduce the bitterness of Bitter Melon?
Remove bitterness by salting.
After cutting Bitter Melon into sections, sprinkle an appropriate amount of salt inside the Bitter Melon and marinate for 10-15 minutes. Salt will make the water in Bitter Melon seep out and take away some bitter components at the same time.
After marinating, rinse the Bitter Melon with clean water to wash off the salt and the seeped bitter juice to avoid making Bitter Melon too salty.
Reduce bitterness by blanching.
Put the Bitter Melon sections into boiling water and blanch for 1-2 minutes. High-temperature blanching can destroy the bitter substances in Bitter Melon and also make the texture of Bitter Melon slightly softer, making it convenient to fill the stuffing later.
After blanching, immediately take out the Bitter Melon and soak it in cold water to maintain the crisp and tender taste of Bitter Melon.
Cooking method.
Adopt a combination of frying and simmering. First, fry the stuffed Bitter Melon with the stuffing side down to let the oil and fragrance of the stuffing blend into the Bitter Melon. Then add sauce and simmer. In this way, Bitter Melon can better absorb the umami taste in the soup, and the bitterness will be further reduced during the cooking process.
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
Key Ingredients:
Bitter Melon: Select ones with intact skin and bright green color, medium size (about 30-40cm long, 4-6cm in diameter). This ensures proper filling capacity and good texture after cooking.
Ground Pork: Choose fresh pork with balanced fat-to-lean ratio. This provides rich protein and oils, making the filling tender, juicy, and flavorful.
Egg White: Makes the pork filling more tender and helps retain moisture during cooking, preventing it from becoming too dry.
Corn Starch: Adds binding properties to the filling, helping it stay together during stuffing and cooking, ensuring proper shape and texture.
Sugar: Enhances flavor and balances tastes.
Light Soy Sauce: Adds savory flavor and color, enhancing the overall taste profile.
Oyster Sauce: Further enhances umami flavor, making the taste richer and more complex.
White Pepper Powder: Effectively removes any gamey taste from the pork.
Substitutions:
Bitter Melon Alternative: Zucchini for those who don't like bitter taste. It's milder but softer in texture, so reduce cooking time accordingly.
Ground Pork Alternative: Ground beef or chicken.
Corn Starch Alternative: Potato starch or sweet potato starch.
Oyster Sauce Alternative: Shrimp paste or abalone sauce.
White Pepper Alternative: Black pepper, but use less (about 3g) as it's more intense and spicier.
INGREDIENTS
Main Ingredients
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·1 Bitter Melon
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·200g Ground pork
Seasonings
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·20g Corn starch
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·5g Sugar
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·15g Light soy sauce
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·15g Oyster sauce
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·5g White pepper powder
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·3g Salt
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·1 Egg white
COOKING STEP
Step 1
Process Bitter Melon:
Cut the Bitter Melon into small sections of 2-3 centimeters.
Then use a small spoon to scoop out the pulp of the Bitter Melon and try to scrape off the internal white part as clean as possible because this part is relatively bitter.
Step 2
Blanch Bitter Melon:
Add a little salt and oil to boiling water.
Put the Bitter Melon sections into boiling water and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Take them out and drain off the water.
The purpose of blanching is to remove the bitterness of Bitter Melon so that it will not be too hard in taste.
Step 3
Make stuffing:
Put the cut pork dices into a bowl, add 3 grams of salt, 5 grams of white pepper powder, 10 grams of starch and an egg white.
Then mix well by hand until the stuffing becomes sticky.
Step 4
Take a section of Bitter Melon and smear a circle of starch around the cavity of the Bitter Melon.
Step 5
Use chopsticks to pick up an appropriate amount of stuffing and slowly fill it into the Bitter Melon section. Try to fill and compact the stuffing as much as possible.
When filling, pay attention not to break the Bitter Melon. It's also okay if the stuffing is a little higher than the Bitter Melon section.
Step 6
Prepare a bowl of sauce:
Pour 10 grams of starch, 200 milliliters of water, 15 grams of light soy sauce, 15 grams of oyster sauce and 5 grams of white granulated sugar into the bowl.
Stir well and set aside.
Step 7
Fry Bitter Melon
Heat the pan with cold oil. Put the Bitter Melon sections into the pan with the stuffing side down.
Fry slowly over medium-low heat until the surface of the stuffing turns golden.
During frying, shake the pan from time to time to prevent sticking.
After frying one side, turn over and fry the other side of the Bitter Melon until the surface of the Bitter Melon is slightly wrinkled and the color darkens.
Be a little patient. I fried for about 15 minutes.
Step 8
After both sides are colored, pour in the prepared sauce.
Step 9
Simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes until the Bitter Melon is thoroughly cooked and the stuffing is completely cooked.
Recipe Variations
Filling Variations:
Vegetarian Filling
• Mix chopped mushrooms, black fungus, carrots, and tofu.
• Season with salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, and starch.
• Perfect for vegetarians, light and nutritious.
Seafood Filling
• Combine minced shrimp, fish, and shellfish.
• Optional addition of ground pork.
• Add scallions, ginger, salt, pepper, and egg white.
• Creates unique fusion of seafood freshness and Bitter Melon.
Mixed Meat Filling
• Combine beef, lamb, and pork.
• Add diced onions, cilantro, cumin, and Sichuan pepper powder.
• Ideal for those who prefer stronger flavors.
Seasoning Variations:
Dried Fruit Addition
• Add raisins or dried cranberries.
• Helps balance bitterness while adding sweetness and texture.
Special Sauce Options
• Beyond traditional soy sauce and oyster sauce.
• Try shacha sauce, sweet bean sauce, or shrimp paste.
Serving Suggestions:
With Rice
• Classic pairing with white rice.
• Rice absorbs the savory sauce and balances bitterness.
Vegetable Pairings
• Water spinach is an excellent side dish.
• Complements the Bitter Melon well.
Soup Pairings
• Lean meat soup works well.
• Helps balance flavors and adds protein.
• Creates a more balanced meal.
FAQs:
First, it can reduce the bitterness of Bitter Melon and make its taste more mild.
Second, after blanching, the texture of Bitter Melon will become slightly softer. In this way, during filling with stuffing and subsequent cooking, Bitter Melon is not easy to break and can better maintain a complete shape.
During frying, use medium-low heat and shake the pan timely to make the stuffed Bitter Melon evenly heated in the pan and avoid local overheating leading to sticking.
If there are signs of sticking at the bottom of the pan, you can gently lift the stuck part with a spatula, but be careful not to break the Bitter Melon and stuffing.
In addition, ensuring that there is no excessive moisture remaining on the surface of Bitter Melon can also reduce the possibility of sticking.
Ensure that every part of the stuffing can come into contact with seasonings and can be marinated for a while appropriately to let the stuffing fully absorb the taste.
Second, choose pork with an appropriate fat-to-lean ratio, such as streaky pork with both fat and lean. In this way, during cooking, the oil can seep out and help seasonings better penetrate into the stuffing, thus making the stuffing more flavorful.
2. When filling Bitter Melon, fill the stuffing relatively tightly. You can use chopsticks to fill and compact while filling.
3. Preheat the pan on low heat before frying. Fry on medium-low heat to let the meat stuffing slowly cook through and the surface set.
4. Don't be in a hurry to turn over. Turn over after setting. When turning over, operate carefully. You can use a spatula and chopsticks in coordination.
