Description
A classic Chinese dish that can be made with chicken instead of beef. If chicken is used, cooking time will be more depending on the thickness of the chicken pieces.
Ingredients
- ice cubes
- 1 bitter melon, seeded and sliced
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce, divided
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 6 ounces beef, sliced
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon black bean sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 pinch white sugar, or to taste
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Fill a bowl with ice; add enough salted water to make an ice bath. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the bitter melon in the boiling water until tender yet firm
- about 2 minutes; strain the melon. Place the melon into the ice bath; allow to sit until bitterness is extracted
- about 1 hour. Drain melon.
- Whisk 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- and baking soda together in a bowl. Add beef and toss to evenly coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Heat wok
- or a large skillet
- on high until smoking. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Lay beef evenly across the bottom of the wok; cook until browned
- about 2 minutes per side. Remove beef. Pour in 1 teaspoon of oil; allow to heat. Add onion
- garlic
- and ginger; cook and stir until fragrant
- about 30 seconds. Stir in bitter melon; cook until combined
- about 1 minute.
- Stir black bean sauce into melon mixture. Stir in remaining soy sauce
- oyster sauce
- and sugar. Pour in 3/4 cup water; cover and let simmer until flavors combine
- 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover and mix in remaining cornstarch and 1 teaspoon water and stir until thickened.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins
Servings: 4