when i first had the bitter melon stir-fry (it's called goya chanpuru in japanese, a popular okinawan dish.) prepared by one of my japanese friends, being unaccustomed to the vegetable i thought the bitter taste was rather appalling. it was one of those things i would never want to eat again. many years later, i was watching a tv show about japanese okinawan cusine, and this robust 100 some year old lady was stir-frying the bitter melons and saying it was the secret to her healthy longevity (the people of okinawa are known for healthy aging and longevity). the show narrator went on and listed all the health benefits of the vegetable, and i decided to give it a try again. maybe i've developed more mature palate over the years or maybe my friend just didn't prepare the vegetable properly at the time (sorry mk!), but mine turned out surprisingly delicious, and i've been making it often since then. i was out of tofu and bonito flakes (typically added) this time, so i omitted them and added enoki mushrooms instead. hey, don't be afraid to improvise in the kitchen!
japanese bitter melon stir-fry (goya chanpuru)
ingredients:
(1/2) can or (6 oz.) of SPAM
- yes... that processed luncheon meat! they say SPAM became typical ingredient for this dish due to the influence of u.s. military bases in okinawa. similarly, SPAM is added into the spicykorean kimchi stew called "boo-dae-jji-gae" - literally means military base stew.
- i used turkey SPAM.
(3) medium indian bitter melons or chinese bitter melons
(2) medium eggs
(1) bundle of enoki mushrooms
(1) Tbsp coarse salt
(1) Tbsp soy sauce
(1) Tbsp water
(1) Tbsp sesame oil
(1-1/2) Tbsp olive oil
(1) tsp sesame seeds
direction:
1. cut (3) medium bitter melons in half, lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and white pith with spoon. the white pith is what gives the bitter taste and you want to scape it out completely.
2. slice the bitter melons in to approx. 1/4" thick half rings and put the slices in a bowl.
3. sprinkle (1) Tbsp. coarse salt over the bitter melon slices, mix well and set aside for at least 30 min.
4. slice (1/2) can or (6 oz.) of SPAM into thin square slices.
5. trim off the base of (1) bundle of enoki mushrooms and cut them in half. rinse under cold running water and drain well.
6. back to the bitter melon, gently massage the bitter melon slices and thoroughly rinse under cold running water. this helps remove the bitter taste.
7. heat a wok or pan on high heat, add 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and cook the SPAM slices. transfer the cooked SPAM slices in a bowl.
8. add (1) Tbsp. olive oil, the bitter melon slices, (1) Tbsp. soy sauce and (1) Tbsp. water into the wok and stir fry until cooked for about 5 min. add enoki mushrooms and stir-fry for another min.
9. add the cooked SPAM slices and make a well in the middle of the wok.
10. crack (2) medium eggs in the well and scramble. then mix with other ingredients.
11. turn off the heat, add (1) Tbsp. sesame oil.
12. transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle (1) tsp. sesame seeds.
yield: 4 servings