INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 medium length (8-12 inches) bitter melons
  • 6 cups of water
  • 3 sprigs of cilantro
  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1 tsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup wood ear mushrooms

INSTRUCTION:

  1. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in warm water for about 10 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and cut them thinly.
  2. Put the pork, oyster sauce, sugar, salt, and wood ear mushrooms in a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients together and mix them well. Cover and set aside.
  3. Optional: To reduce the bitterness of the bitter melons, quickly blanch them in boiling water for about 1 minute or until they turn dark green. Then, remove the bitter melons from the water and allow them to cool.
  4. Slice the bitter melons crosswise. Each piece should be about 1 or 1.5 inches in length.
  5. Hold the bitter melon in one hand and use the other hand to drive a knife between the green outer flesh and the center white pith of the bitter melon. Slowly, core out the pith and seeds with a circular motion. Repeat this process for all the bitter melons.
  6. Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil.
  7. Stuff the bitter melons with the pork stuffing.
  8. Add the stuffed bitter melons to the boiling water and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes or until the center of the pork is done.
  9. Season with salt to taste. Transfer the cooked, stuffed bitter melons to a bowl and garnish with thinly-chopped cilantro.

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