Braised Bitter Melon
"It means you can handle hardship" –Mom
...She says, in between my mouthfuls of braised bitter melon. Growing up, bitter melon was a staple in our household. The versatility of the vegetable makes it suitable for pretty much all methods of cooking save for baking. As a regular rotational vegetable, I never grew tired of the various dishes featuring the bitter squash. Because of its flavor, those that love it intensely are people who can suffer the bitterness of life—an old Chinese saying that Mom often recited.
I always think back to that aphorism whenever a challenge comes barreling down the pipeline of life. I've been primed from the beginning to know that I can handle anything because I've literally tasted bitterness and loved it. Maybe that's all part of Mom's strategy in raising us because she knew that the universe is indifferent. It's not forgiving and it's tough as hell—but it makes the victories all the sweeter.
You may hate bitter melon or you may love it, but you definitely need to give it a go at least once. It is incredibly healthy—to the point where Epicurious listed it in their 9 Health Food Trends You Need to Try Right Now article. It's filled with antioxidants and used for medicinal purposes in Asia. Despite the article mentioning the difficulty in preparation, I'm here to debunk that rumor and say it's actually easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
Previously I've written about beef and bitter melon as a substitute for beef and broccoli, and now I'm going to share one of the BEST bitter melon recipes around: braised bitter melon. Usually it's paired with a meat—you can do pork, beef, or chicken, and probably even tofu for the vegetarians and vegans (but I haven't tried it). I chose chicken for this go-around, but that's only because it's what I had in the fridge. The sauce, which is a product of the bitter melon losing water as it cooks, is liquid gold. I've literally had four bowls of rice just with the sauce and I don't feel even slightly ashamed. Trust me, if you try braising bitter melon, you'll understand what I mean.
Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 20 mins
INGREDIENTS (FOR 2)
| 2 bitter melons |
| 3 cloves garlic, minced |
| 1 lb chicken breast |
| 1/4 cup hot bean sauce |
| 1 tbsp oyster sauce |
| 1/2 tsp sugar |
| 3/4 cup water or chicken stock |
| + oil for pan |
| + 1 tbsp soy sauce for chicken |
PREPARE
1. Slice bitter melon lengthwise. De-seed it, which you do by hitting the back of the bitter melon until they pop out (similar to how you get rid of lingering seeds in peppers), then chop into two-inch pieces. Set aside.
2. Slice chicken into two-inch pieces and toss in the soy sauce. Set aside.
3. As the chicken is marinating, bring a pot of water to boil and dump in the bitter melon until it starts to boil again. Be careful not to overcook it; this just helps remove some of the bitterness.
COOK
1. Toss some oil into a pan and sprinkle in the garlic. Turn the heat on high and wait for that garlic to start sizzling, filling the air with its fragrance.
2. Add in the chicken and mix into the oil, then toss in the bitter melon. Add the hot bean sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Stir well to make sure everything is evenly coated.
3. Pour in the water or chicken broth and cover the pan. Once it's brought to a boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the bitter melon becomes a dark, olive-y green.
EAT
Serve braised bitter melon with a healthy heaping side of rice. Few things in life are better than the braised bitter melon sauce, with its subtle flavors of bitterness, saltiness, spiciness, and sweetness. The bitter melon itself is pretty good, too.
