If stuffed bitter melon soup might take you quite some time to prepare, bitter melon stir fry with eggs (khổ qua xào trứng) is just a simple dish for the daily meal of almost all Vietnamese people. However, it has been one of my favorite choices for lunch or dinner, because of its great taste and simple cooking process.
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How to reduce the bitterness of bitter melon?
Bitter melon is… bitter, which is why it is called “bitter” melon. Because this dish is a stir fry with a short cooking time, we need a preparation step to reduce the bitterness of the bitter melon before cooking. Moreover, this step also helps enhance the crunchiness of this special fruit. You can apply this step to other dishes using bitter melon, such as salads.
So, after slicing the bitter melon thinly, immediately soak these slices in cold/icy water with a teaspoon of salt. Let them soak for 15-30 minutes, and you’ll get crunchy and less bitter slices, ready for stir-frying or even eating raw.
Ingredients for Bitter Melon Stir Fry with Eggs
Here’s the recipe I used for a dish of bitter melon stir fry, suitable for lunch or dinner for a family of 2-3 people:
- 250g (8.8 oz) bitter melon
- 2 eggs
- Condiments: Salt, fish sauce
- Garnish: Ground pepper
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1. Preparation
- Slicing the bitter melon: Cut a bitter melon into two halves and use a spoon to remove the core of each half. Then, slice them thinly, about 1-3mm per slice.
- To reduce the bitterness and make the bitter melon slices crunchier, after cutting, immediately soak them in cold/icy water with a pinch of salt. Let them soak for 15-30 minutes or until you are ready to cook them.
Step 2. Beating the eggs
- Crack the eggs and pour them into a bowl, with a pinch of salt and pepper. Beat them finely until the yolk and the white combine together.
Step 3. Stir-frying
- Turn on medium heat and place a non-stick saucepan/skillet on the stove. Add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, pour the prepared bitter melon slices into the pan and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes.
- When the bitter melon is partly cooked, becoming softer and slightly transparent, pour the eggs in and quickly stir with a spatula or chopsticks to combine with the bitter melon slices. After 3-4 minutes, adjust the taste with salt/fish sauce and turn off the heat.
Step 4. Serving
- Bitter melon stir fry with eggs can be served plain or garnished with ground pepper and chopped spring onions, depending on your preference. Serve it hot with cooked rice. Enjoy your meal!
Bitter Melon Stir Fry With Eggs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 250 g (8.8 oz) bitter melon
- 2 eggs
- Condiments: Salt and fish sauce
- Garnish: Ground pepper
Instructions
Step 1. Preparation
- Slicing the bitter melon: Cut a bitter melon into two halves and use a spoon to remove the core of each half. Then, slice them thinly, about 1-3mm per slice.
- To reduce the bitterness and make the bitter melon slices crunchier, after cutting, immediately soak them in cold/icy water with a pinch of salt. Let them soak for 15-30 minutes or until you are ready to cook them.
Step 2. Beating the eggs
- Crack the eggs and pour them into a bowl, with a pinch of salt and pepper. Beat them finely until the yolk and the white combine together.
Step 3. Stir-frying
- Turn on medium heat and place a non-stick saucepan/skillet on the stove. Add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, pour the prepared bitter melon slices into the pan and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes.
- When the bitter melon is partly cooked, becoming softer and slightly transparent, pour the eggs in and quickly stir with a spatula or chopsticks to combine with the bitter melon slices. After 3-4 minutes, adjust the taste with salt/fish sauce and turn off the heat.
Step 4. Serving
- Bitter melon stir fry with eggs can be served plain or garnished with ground pepper and chopped spring onions, depending on your preference. Serve it hot with cooked rice. Enjoy your meal!
Nutrition
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