Stuffed Bitter Melon
Bitter melons aren't for everyone, but my daughter enjoys eating them. Look for
Indian bitter melon, which is smaller and has pointed ends as compared to the
bigger, oblong Chinese variety. Bitter melon has been shown to help lower blood
sugar level, decrease cholesterol levels, and cleans and detoxifies the blood.
Serves 3 to 4
Prep time: 15 minutes + overnight sitting (12 hours) Cook time: 30 minutes
Refrigerator Life: 3 days
Reheating Method: Place the refrigerated bitter melon and onions in a microwave, cover and stir periodically. Or, place it in a skillet over medium-low heat and stir periodically.
4 medium bitter melons (total ½ lb/225 g)
2¼ teaspoons salt
2 small onions
Juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4½ tablespoons vegetable oil
How to Stuff the Bitter Melon
Cut off the top end of the bitter melon.
Scrape off the bitter melon's bumpy skin.
Slit open the bitter melon.
Very hard and ripe seeds removed.You may leave in any soft,tender seeds with their tender
casings.
Salt rubbed all around the outside and inside of each bitter melon.
1 Cut off the top ends of each bitter melon and discard. Leave the tail-ends on for presentation. Scrape the bumpy skin off each bitter melon by holding it in one hand and using a small knife to scrape it until is smooth. Rinse the scraped bitter melons.
2 Using a small knife, slit each bitter melon lengthwise without cutting it in half. Pry it open with your hands and feel around for the seeds. Remove any very hard and ripe seeds and discard. You can leave the tender and soft seeds inside along with their tender casings.
3 Rub ½ teaspoon of salt around the outside and inside of the bitter melon to draw out the bitterness. Place the bitter melons on a plate and cover. Refrigerate overnight.
4 The next day, rinse the inside and outside of each bitter melon with water. Gently squeeze out the water of each melon with one hand.
5 Grate one onion on the largest grating holes of a box grater and place in a small bowl.
6 Add the lime juice, turmeric, red pepper, black pepper, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Stir to combine. Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts. Using a small spoon or your fingers, evenly stuff each bitter melon with the mixture.
7 Pour 4 tablespoons of the oil into a medium nonstick skillet and place over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the bitter melons, slit side up. Cook for 2 minutes and then turn the bitter melons. They should be light brown on the cooked side
8 Cook for 2 minutes and turn again. The bitter melons should start to turn brown.
9 Cook for 2 minutes and turn again. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the skillet. Continue to cook the bitter melons, turning every few minutes, for about 15 minutes, or until they are tender and you can easily poke a knife through the skin. The bitter melons should be brownish with some darker marks. Turn off the heat and remove the bitter melons from the skillet.
10 Cut the remaining onion into thickly sliced half moons. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of the oil to the skillet and place over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the onion. Slightly cook until the onion is just a bit tender and still a bit crisp, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove the onion from the skillet
and place on a serving platter. Add the cooked bitter melons on top of the onions. Enjoy now or let cool to room temperature and refrigerate for later
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