Bitter Melon

I've had a hankering for bitter melon recently, partly out of nostalgia for childhood foods and also as fall approaches, I've been craving that slightly bitter but rounded out texture that only bitter melon provides. And a part of me figures it's pretty healthy, too.

So, inspired by my friend Sokesei, who described over dinner a few weeks ago a bitter melon stir fry she concocted, I bought a couple of bitter melons from the Alhambra Farmer's Market (they have a lot of great Asian produce at this market), and they've been sitting in my fridge all week. Today, I thought it was the day to cook them - my first foray into cooking these guys.

I sautéed some ground chicken, about half a pound, in the wok, with some safflower oil. Added some salt and a few dribbles of soy sauce. I had sliced the bitter melon up into thin half-moons and then added them to the wok with the chicken, after the chicken was browned. After about 8 minutes of stir-frying, the stiff walls of the bitter melon surrendered to the heat and softened. I added some more salt and soy sauce, along with some black pepper and hoisin sauce. Would have done Chinese black beans, but with none on hand, I improvised. And I figured the girls would be more open to the sweetness from the hoisin sauce. Then I beat three eggs together and threw them into the wok. The result was this deliciously eggy, stewy combination of soft bitter melon with fragrant chicken. I added some sriracha sauce to my serving, and I ended up having three servings over the course of the day.

Verdict from my family? Katie and Amanda spit out the bitter melon and ate the egg and chicken. I think bitter melon may be an acquired taste, and this was their introduction to the vegetable. And hubby wasn't interested in trying it. Ah well, more for me!