Stuffed Bitter Melons

 

I.      Recipe name: Stuffed Bitter Melons

II.      Ingredients:

  1. 2 bitter melons*

  2. 1 Tablespoon fermented black bean*

  3. 1 slice ginger

III.      Filling:

  1. ⅓ block tofu

  2. 4 ears dried black fungus*

  3. A few carrots

  4. 2 Tablespoons vegetarian meat paste**

IV.      Filling seasonings:

  1. ¼ teaspoon salt

  2. ½ teaspoon sugar

  3. ¼ teaspoon vegetarian seasoning*

  4. Some Maggi soy sauce*

  5. ½ Tablespoon corn starch

V.      Sauce ingredients:

  1. ¼ teaspoon salt

  2. ½ teaspoon sugar

  3. ½  Tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce*

  4. 1 teaspoon corn starch

  5. 1 Tablespoon water

VI.      Directions:

  1. Thaw the vegetarian meat paste and set aside.

  2. Soak dried black fungus in water until soft and remove the tough ends. Thinly dice.

  3. Cut carrots into thin slices and then dice.

  4. Mash tofu and mix with vegetarian meat paste, diced black fungus and diced carrots. Add in filling seasonings and mix well.

  5. Cut bitter melons into 3-cm pieces. Remove the spongy white pulp and seeds within the center of each bitter melon piece. Stuff the tofu mixture into the bitter melon pieces. Steam for 10 minutes on high heat.

  6. Preheat ½ Tablespoon cooking oil in a frying pan. Stir-fry ginger and fermented black bean on high heat. Add sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour the sauce on top of the bitter melons; serve.

*     Bitter melon can be substituted with fried tofu, eggplants, and green peppers.

*     The leftover vegetarian meat paste can be stored in the freezer.

VII.      Recipe provider:  Xiuxia Li      Photo: Fanrun Kang

Note:  * Available in Asian markets.
  ** Available in Asian markets or most vegetarian food stores.

 
  

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