Sauteed Bittermelon
Hi, I’m Krizell, a third culture kid and second-generation Filipino American. I’m passionate about preserving our Filipino heritage through food and hope you give these recipes a try!
Krizell•
October 30, 2024
Unpopular opinion: I love ampalaya (aka bittermelon) and this is my favorite preparation of it – with egg, shrimp, and pork. My mom and I were together when I cooked this so I asked her how she makes it and I think our dialogue is so funny because it reminds me of what I talked about in the adobo video.
In a large skillet heat olive oil (2 tsp) over medium heat. Add in garlic (3 cloves) and onion (¼) and sauté until soft.
Add in tomatoes (2), pork (4 oz) and shrimp heads (12). Stir well. Continue to cook until tomatoes are mushy, about 7-10 minutes.
Add in fish sauce (1 Tbsp) and oyster sauce (½ Tbsp). Mix to combine.
Add in ampalaya (2). Stir all contents together then cover for 4 minutes.
Add in scrambled egg (2). Drizzle oil around the edges of the pan to keep the eggs from sticking. Top with shrimp (12) and cover for another 4 minutes.
Uncover and mix all contents together. Sauté for 1 last minute. Salt and pepper (to taste). Enjoy!
Ampalaya – Slice off both ends of the ampalaya and discard. Cut ampalaya lengthwise (vertically) down the middle to and remove seeds and white pith. Slice ampalaya thinly. Add into a bowl of warm water and salt to help reduce bitterness. The longer ampalaya cooks the more bitter it gets as well, so make sure not to overcook it!
Shrimp – Keep shrimp heads but peel body and devein. Remove tail as well.
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