Stir-Fried Bitter Melon with Black Beans
黑豆苦瓜 (Hei Dou Ku Gua)
There are plenty of foods which are deliciously salty—potato chips, cured meats, olives. There are foods which are delightfully sweet—cupcakes, ice cream, fruit salad. There are foods which are refreshingly sour—lemonade, vinaigrettes, yogurt. But can you think of a food which is intentionally prepared bitter? Bitter melon, also known as karela or bitter squash, might be one of the few bitter foods that humans eat. [1] Bitter melon is used in Indian, Southeast Asian, and Chinese cuisines, but can be an acquired taste for those unfamiliar with the vegetable. The melon is usually harvested while still green, and the flesh is crunchy in texture, similar to that of a cucumber or zucchini. The acerbic flavor of the melon, however, is very unique. [2] The cuisines which use bitter melon generally pair it with punchy savory or spicy ingredients, such as shrimp paste, fermented black beans, or chilies.
Need a reason to try bitter melon beyond simple curiosity? It’s probably good for you! Bitter melon has been used for centuries in both traditional Indian and Chinese medicine. It is packed with nutrients such as folate and Vitamin C, and has been shown to reduce blood glucose levels. [3] Today we will be preparing bitter melon in a simple stir-fry with fermented black beans, or douchi (豆豉). [4]
Ingredients
2 bitter melons
3 tbsp fermented black beans
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sugar
Vegetable oil
Wash the melons, and split them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, which are both inedible. Then slice the melons crosswise into ¼ inch thick half-moons. Next, let’s prepare our fermented black beans. Rinse them in cold water to remove some of the surface salt, then drain the black beans and pat dry.
Next, we will blanch the bitter melon briefly in boiling water. This will par-cook the melons, and also mellow out some of the bitterness. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. When the water is at a rolling boil, add the bitter melon slices to the pot and boil them for 1 minute. Then drain the bitter melon and set them aside for the stir fry.
Mince the garlic, and heat about 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a pan over high heat. Once the oil comes up to temperature, add the minced garlic and fermented black beans. Fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add the sugar and par-cooked bitter melon slices to the pan. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes, or until the melon is fully cooked. It should still be slightly crisp, with a bit of snap to the bite. Remove the melon from the pan and serve immediately.
Substitutions
If you want to add a bit of spice to this dish, add a diced bird’s eye chili to the garlic and black beans. A splash of fish sauce can also reinforce the savory flavors of the black beans.
[1] Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) was first domesticated in India, and can be found in many varieties. The Chinese varieties tend to be larger and pale green, while Indian varieties tend to be darker green with pointed ends.
[2] Some Chinese beers use bitter melon as the bittering agent in place of hops.
[3] Bitter melon has been demonstrated to have a hypoglycemic effect, reducing blood sugar in both pre-diabetic and diabetic patients. Due to this effect, it is recommended that patients on insulin not eat bitter melon. Some studies have also suggested that bitter melon contains anti-cancer and anti-viral compounds, and may promote weight loss. However, more research has to be done to conclusively confirm or refute those results. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has a detailed summary of the science of bitter melon here.
[4] Douchi are soybeans which are salted and then fermented. They turn black during the fermentation process.
Recipe
Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 10 min Total Time: 15 min
Difficulty: 1/5
Heat Sources: 2 burners
Equipment: pot, pan
Servings: 4
Ingredients
2 bitter melons
3 tbsp fermented black beans
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sugar
Vegetable oil
Instructions
1. Split the melons in half lengthwise, and scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut the melons into ¼ inch pieces.
2. Rinse the fermented black beans with cold water, and pat dry.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and blanch the bitter melon slices by boiling them for 1 minute. Drain the bitter melon and set aside.
4. Heat about 1 tsp vegetable oil in a pan over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and fermented black beans and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add sugar and bitter melon slices to the pan and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until the melon is fully cooked but still slightly crisp. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
