This Ampalaya con Carne recipe is good for our health. Eating Ampalaya (bitter melon) is an acquired taste. Asians and Filipinos have a fondness for this beloved vegetable gourd that it is featured in a lot of Oriental dishes.
Although it has a strong pungent taste, the bitterness can be lessened either by blanching or parboiling. In this particular recipe, the addition of fermented black beans and the savory stir-fry beef play well with the bitter melon.
AMPALAYA CON CARNE
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound lean beef, preferably steak
3 pieces bitter melon (about 1 ½ pounds)
3 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, sliced
5-6 thin slices of ginger
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tausi or fermented black beans
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
MARINADE:
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
SAUCE:
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4-5 drops of sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons water
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Cut the beef into thin slices. Combine with the rice wine or dry sherry, soy sauce and cornstarch. Marinate for about 20 minutes.
- Soak fermented black beans in water. Rinse and drain, coarsely chop.
- Split the bitter melon in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pith with a small spoon. Slice diagonally into 1/4″ thick pieces. Parboil in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and set aside.
- Heat 1 ½ tablespoons oil in a large pan. Stir-fry the beef until brown on both sides but still pink in the middle. Transfer to a bowl.
- Using the same pan, heat remaining oil. Saute onions for 1 minute. Add the garlic & ginger, cook for 2 minutes. Follow with the fermented black beans and the chili flakes and saute for another minute.
- Add the bitter melon and cook until crisp-tender. Stir in sauce ingredients: chicken broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt and cornstarch (mixed with the 4 tablespoons water).
- Once the sauce thickens, return the beef to the pan and combine with the rest . Turn off heat.
- Enjoy!