Bitter Gourd No More

 

Picture from the internet 

           Bitter Gourd or Bitter melon commonly known as Ampalaya is one of the staple dish in the Philippines. It is a tropical vine fruit but used as a vegetable and a traditional medicine. It contains Vitamin C and other compounds that helps in managing blood sugar. Also, it has fiber and antioxidants, it aids digestion and boost the immune system. Despite of the bitter taste, some people, including myself, found a liking on this vegetable. If your wondering how to elevate your dish and lessen the bitterness of the bitter gourd, I can share you one of my favorite dish. 

                    This dish includes garlic, onion, oil, 1/4 kilo of pork, 2 pieces of tomato, salt, pepper, and bitter gourd (ampalaya).

                    To start, prepare the ingredients by mincing 3 cloves of garlic and slicing an onion. Chop the pork into small pieces and slice the tomato into small pieces. You can remove the seeds by rinsing the tomato in water.

                Prepare the bitter gourd by removing the ends and cutting into smaller parts. Slice the vegetable in half and remove the white in the middle, you can use a spoon for easy removal. After removing all the white part, you can start slicing the vegetable into thin slices. The thinner the slice, the less it will taste bitter. 

                       After slicing, soak the bitter gourd in a water with salt. Make sure that the water covers the vegetable. After about 10 minutes, you can see that the water turned green, remove the vegetable in the water and start to rinse until the water is clear. Make sure to remove the water in the vegetable by using strainer.

                           Put an oil in the preheated pan, I really wanted lots of oil in mine so you can lessen your oil. Saute the garlic, onion, and the tomato, then add the pork. Stir the pork until golden brown, add the bitter gourd. 

                    Stir the vegetable every 2-3 minutes. Make sure to avoid over stirring as it can make the dish taste bitter. Before the vegetable cooks, add the aromatics, and it's ready to serve.

                           This is only one of many ways to cook a bitter gourd or commonly known in the Philippines as amplaya. Some people adds eggs, some people even adds seafood depending on your cravings.

If you want to know a recipe of a local food in the Philippines, don't hesitate to let me know.