Recipe: Stir-fried bitter melon and egg (kho qua xao trung)
Bitter melon is another thing that you either love or hate. Among my friends and relatives who have tried bitter melon, 42 percent(*) find it too bitter to try a second time. My mom is a special case. She used to shun it, then little me got a bad fever and had to eat it to help lowering my temperature (bitter melon has medicinal effects), mom was so worried that I wouldn’t eat it (like every toddler, I didn’t like food), but I chowed it down at first try, mom got curious, tried and started liking it too. That’s the story she told me, but I think she started liking it because she started making it, and everything she makes tastes great.
Even in the Bay Area, bitter melon is somewhat rare and expensive. The only restaurant I know of that has bitter melon is China Village on Solano, and a plate costs 10.95 with 70% egg and 30% bitter melon. Sushi California used to have it as an Okinawan specialty but had to cut it due to low demand. 🙁 Chinese and Vietnamese markets have them, but they can be far. Thankfully, today Berkeley Bowl has a small box of maybe 40 counts, so I grabbed a few.
Stir-fried bitter melon with eggs (in Vietnamese: Khổ qua xào trứng)
INGREDIENTS (8 servings):
– 5 bitter melons (less green ones with fat stripes, i.e., the East Asian variety, are much less bitter than the skinny ridged subcontinent counterpart)
– 5 eggs (or however many you like)
– 12 cloves of garlic (I just happen to like garlic a lot)
– Salt
– 1/3 cups of olive oil
PREPARATION:
– Wash the bitter melons, cut off both ends of each fruit.
– Cut each fruit length-wise in half.
– Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds (along with the fluffy white part). Redder seeds mean riper and less bitter melons. The red film outside the seeds are edible (I’ve eaten them while prepping the melons), but their mildly sweet taste is not much to talk to about.
– Slice each half into crescents of ~ 3-4 mm (1/8 inch) thick
– Soak the slices in water (with a bit of salt) for ~ 30 minutes to partially remove the bitterness.
– Peel and slice garlic, set aside.
COOKING:
– Put oil in a skillet, medium heat, wait for oil to get hot and throw in the garlic to brown.
– Drain and add the bitter melon into the skillet.
– Lightly mix so that the melon slices at the bottom don’t just sit in oil while the top ones hang out.
– Cover and cook for ~ 5 minutes.
– Uncover, stir.
– Add 5 eggs as you would make scramble eggs.
– Scramble the eggs with the melons until the eggs are fully cooked.
– Sprinkle salt to taste.
For colors, add pizza. 😉
Foodnote:
(*) This is not a fabricated statistics. I counted 12 people (excluding me) who have tried it and given me confirmed opinions on bitter melon. Five of them grimaced when the word was mentioned. If you’ve tried it and decided to be on either side, let me know so I can update my statistics.
(**) Total cost: bitter melons: 2.06 lb x $2.59/lb = $5.34; box of 12 cage-free large eggs: $3.19; prep time + waiting time: 40 minutes; cook time: 10 minutes; cleaning time: 10 minutes.
Heya i am for the primary time here. I found this board and I find It truly helpful & it helped me out much. I am hoping to present one thing again and help others like you aided me.
1This design is spectacular! You definitely know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Fantastic job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
2Its like you read my mind! You seem to understand a lot about this, like you wrote the ebook in it or something. I think that you could do with a few p.c. to pressure the message home a little bit, but instead of that, that is great blog. A great read. I’ll certainly be back.
3Thanks , I’ve recently been looking for info about this subject for ages and yours is the greatest I have discovered so far. But, what about the conclusion? Are you sure about the source?
4Hello there, You’ve done an incredible job. I will definitely digg it and in my view suggest to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this website.
5manta bridge works
6I genuinely enjoy studying on this site, it contains fantastic content. “A man of genius has been seldom ruined but by himself.” by Samuel Johnson.
7It is truly a great and useful piece of info. I am happy that you just shared this helpful info with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
8i go with anyswap mostly.
9Hello there! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could locate a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one? Thanks a lot!
10F*ckin’ amazing issues here. I’m very glad to peer your post. Thanks so much and i’m having a look forward to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
11stake eth site is decent enough.
12I like this blog very much, Its a very nice spot to read and find information. “‘Taint’t worthwhile to wear a day all out before it comes.” by Sarah Orne Jewett.
13Useful info. Lucky me I found your site by chance, and I’m surprised why this twist of fate didn’t came about in advance! I bookmarked it.
14Glad to be one of the visitants on this awing internet site : D.
15I like what you guys are up also. Such intelligent work and reporting! Carry on the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my web site 🙂
16You are a very capable individual!
17you might have a great weblog here! would you like to make some invite posts on my blog?
18Nice post. I learn something more challenging on different blogs everyday. It will always be stimulating to read content from other writers and practice a little something from their store. I’d prefer to use some with the content on my blog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll give you a link on your web blog. Thanks for sharing.
19I do not even know the way I ended up right here, but I assumed this post was once good. I do not realize who you might be but certainly you’re going to a famous blogger in case you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!
20been using eigenlayerstaking without issues
21I have recently started a blog, the info you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
22Hello! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new iphone 4! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the fantastic work!
23Perfect piece of work you have done, this website is really cool with great information.
24I regard something truly special in this web site.
25I’m still learning from you, but I’m making my way to the top as well. I absolutely love reading all that is written on your blog.Keep the information coming. I liked it!
26i swap tokens on anyswap
27This website online is known as a stroll-via for all of the data you wanted about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you’ll undoubtedly discover it.
28Hi , I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbled upon it on Yahoo , i will come back once again. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and help other people.
29asterdex filled my order fast
30Hey, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Firefox, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, terrific blog!
31I have been browsing online more than 3 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all web owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be a lot more useful than ever before.
32Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do some research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such wonderful information being shared freely out there.
33Greetings from Ohio! I’m bored at work so I decided to check out your website on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the info you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m amazed at how quick your blog loaded on my phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, good blog!
34set up frax swap yesterday
35A formidable share, I simply given this onto a colleague who was doing a little evaluation on this. And he the truth is bought me breakfast as a result of I discovered it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the deal with! However yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I really feel strongly about it and love reading more on this topic. If possible, as you turn out to be expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more details? It’s extremely helpful for me. Massive thumb up for this blog put up!
36sync swap kept fees really tiny
37What i don’t realize is if truth be told how you are now not really a lot more neatly-favored than you may be now. You are very intelligent. You recognize therefore significantly in relation to this topic, produced me personally believe it from numerous varied angles. Its like women and men aren’t fascinated except it is something to do with Lady gaga! Your personal stuffs outstanding. At all times handle it up!
38swap tokens without hassle here
39easy crypto swap here today
40best place to trade wbtc
41Very interesting details you have remarked, thankyou for putting up. “I never said most of the things I said.” by Lawrence Peter Berra.
42Glad to be one of many visitors on this awesome web site : D.
43Only a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding pattern.
44Throughout the awesome pattern of things you actually get an A just for hard work. Where you actually lost everybody was first on the facts. You know, as the maxim goes, details make or break the argument.. And that could not be more accurate at this point. Having said that, allow me reveal to you exactly what did work. The authoring is definitely highly persuasive which is most likely why I am taking the effort in order to comment. I do not really make it a regular habit of doing that. 2nd, although I can certainly see a leaps in reasoning you come up with, I am not necessarily certain of how you seem to unite your points that make the conclusion. For the moment I will, no doubt yield to your issue however hope in the future you connect the dots much better.
45I am glad to be a visitant of this staring blog! , regards for this rare info ! .
46Hello! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this site? I’m getting tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at options for another platform. I would be fantastic if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
47I too conceive so , perfectly indited post! .
48Thanks – Enjoyed this post, can you make it so I receive an update sent in an email whenever there is a fresh article?
49I’ve recently started a web site, the info you offer on this website has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
50