Braised Prime Ribs With Bitter Gourd

Today I want to cook something with bitter gourd. Not the usual bitter gourd omelette again... I bought some chicken breasts for soup at the wet market and I saw some pork prime ribs. Why not braised prime ribs with bitter gourd? I love braising. It is so easy. Just put everything in and braised! :)

Ingredients:

6 pieces prime ribs
1/2 Bitter Gourd (cut into thick sticks, soak with water and 1 tsp of salt for 30 minutes. Rinse with water and set aside.)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp taucheo (minced)
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
300ml or more water
Pinch of sugar
1 tbsp cooking oil

Marinate the prime ribs for at least 30 minutes:
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
A dash of pepper

Methods:

1. Heat the oil in the claypot. Sauté the garlic and taucheo.

2. Add the ribs and stir fry a while.

3. Add the water and dark soy sauce. Let it simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Add the bitter gourd and continue to simmer until they are soften.

5. Add a pinch of sugar before turning off the heat.

Fried Fish Bee Hoon Soup

I had Fried Fish Bee Hoon soup few days ago. The fish was badly fried. Too much of flour I guess... I used to love Fish Bee Hoon but my favorite stall is quite far from my place. Maxwell market. I used to patron the stall when I was working there few years ago.

Today, I have the craving for this piping hot Thick Bee Hoon Soup. So I decided to make this for dinner. Hehehe... As it was too late to go wet market to buy fresh fish, I bought all the ingredients from NTUC. And I added additional 'Liao'. Prawns and squids!!!
Serve 6

Ingredients:

2 Toman Fish fillets (sliced)
12 prawns (deveined and cooked)
1 small squid (cut into bite sizes)
2 packets of thick bee hoon (blanched)
Choy Sum
1/2 Bitter gourd (sliced thinly)
Ginger (sliced thinly)
2 tomatoes (quartered)
3 liters chicken stock
2 tsp ikan bilis powder
Sesame oil
Hua Diao wine
Pepper
Cooking oil

Garnish:
Spring onions
Fried shallots

Methods:

1. Rub 1 tbsp of salt with the bitter gourd for a minute and soak with water for 30 minutes. Rinse off the salt with water and set aside.

2. Cut the fish into thick slices and marinate with a little salt.

3. Boil the chicken stock in a big pot and add 2 tsp of ikan bilis powder. Let it boil for another 10 minutes and turn off the heat.

4. Deep fry the fish slices until golden. Set aside.

5. Divide the blanched bee boon into 6 bowls.

To cook individually:

1. Heat a small pot (for 1 pax). Add few drops of sesame oil and 1 tsp cooking oil. Sauté 5 slices of ginger.

2. Add the stock (about 400ml) into the pot and let it boil.

3. Toss in a quartered tomato, bitter gourd and squid rings. Cook for 2 minutes.

4. Toss in the fried fish and prawns.

5. Add 3 tbsp of evaporated milk and let it boil.

6. Toss in a handful of Choy Sum and add a dash of sesame oil, Hua Diao wine and salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Pour into the bowl of thick bee hoon. Sprinkle pepper.

7. Garnish with fried shallots and spring onions.

Braised Chicken Wings With Bitter Gourd

Either you love or hate bitter gourd! I used to hate bitter gourd when I was young. Only the recent years, I start to enjoy and actually love this bitter melon, especially cook with Tau Cheo or salted fermented black beans. I used claypot to braise and the whole dish was so flavorsome. I only use half of the bitter gourd for this dish and the other half, I made bitter gourd omelet.

Ingredients:

8 mid joint wings
1/2 bitter gourd (cut into chunks)
1 clove of garlic (finely minced)
6 slices ginger
1 tbsp Taucheo (chopped finely)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp cooking oil
Salt
Water

Optional:

1 tsp fermented black beans

Marinate the wings:
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
A dash of pepper

Methods:

1. Soak the cut bitter gourd with salt and water for at least 30 minutes. Or rub the bitter gourd with 1 tsp of salt for 30 seconds and rinse off the salt. Drain and set aside.

2. Marinate the wings for at least 30 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in the claypot. Sauté the ginger and garlic.

4. Toss the wings and pan fry the wings for 2 minutes.

5. Add the bean paste and toss in the bitter gourd.

6. Add some water and let it boil. Add the oyster sauce.

7. Turn the heat down and let it simmer until the bitter gourd soften and wings are cooked.

8. Taste the sauce. If not salty enough, add either bean paste or oyster sauce. If the sauce is too salty, add more water.

Bitter Gourd With Eggs

My first time making bitter gourd omelet and it was successful! Well, I used the remaining half of bitter gourd for Braised chicken wings with bitter gourd the day before.

Ingredients:

1/2 bitter gourd (sliced thinly)
1 red chili (sliced thinly)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs (beaten)
1 tsp soya sauce
Dash of pepper
2 tbsp cooking oil

Methods:

1. Rub 1 tsp of salt on the bitter gourd to remove the bitterness for 1 minute. Rinse off the salt and set aside.

2. Add 1 tsp soya sauce into the egg mixture and beat well.

3. Heat the oil in the pan. Toss in the bitter gourd and stir fry.

4. Sprinkle the garlic powder.

5. Toss in the sliced chili and continue to stir fry. Sprinkle a pinch of salt.

6. When the bitter gourd turns slightly limp, pour in the egg mixture.

7. When the egg starts to set, toss evenly.