Stuffed Bitter Melon

Stuffed Bitter Melon (Simplified Chinese: 苦瓜酿; Traditional Chinese: 苦瓜釀; Pinyin: Kǔguā niàng) is a southern Chinese dish of bitter melon (balsam pear) cut into thick rings, seeded, filled with seasoned minced pork or fish-meat paste, then steamed, braised, or lightly fried. It sits in the same stuffed-vegetable family as Hakka Yong Tau Foo, but this page names the bitter-melon preparation as a standalone home and restaurant dish. Soft claims that every stuffed gourd is "yong tau foo" blur restaurant-category vs home-dish naming.

Characteristics

Green bitter-melon rings with a pale meat filling; bitterness of the melon balances savory stuffing. Sauce may be clear braising juices, black bean, or mild fermented-soy gravy.

Ingredients (overview)

Bitter melon, minced pork or fish paste, salt, scallion, ginger; optional fermented black bean or soy braising sauce. Related technique to Yong Tau Foo.

History and culture

Common in Cantonese, Hakka, and Fujian home cooking; also appears in Southeast Asian Chinese menus. English menus say "stuffed bitter melon" or "stuffed bitter gourd." Soft exclusive-origin claims for one province are disputed. See Guangdong Food and Yong Tau Foo.

Serving and variations

Main with rice; banquet vegetable-meat course. See Yong Tau Foo, Guangdong Food, and Fujian Food.

See also

• Stuffed Chili Peppers
• Yong Tau Foo
• Guangdong Food
• Fujian Food
• List of dishes (A-Z)