Bitter Melon Stir-fry with Tofu and Ground Pork
This bitter melon stir-fry with tofu and ground pork is my interpretation of goya champuru, a beloved Okinawan stir-fry. It is the kind of everyday recipe that makes you feel good after eating as it is light and healthy with a pleasant textural contrast.
Traditionally, goya champuru features bitter melon, pork belly slices, egg, and firm tofu scrambled together. My version is based on Elizabeth Andoh’s interpretation in her Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen cookbook. Her take is already lighter than the classic, and from there, I make a few additional changes that I’ll share below. The idea is not to replicate the dish exactly but to give you inspiration to create a version that suits your own taste
In all bitter melon stir-fries I have seen, including my own Vietnamese stir-fried bitter melon with eggs, the gourd is sliced into thin half-moons. However, my local Japanese restaurant does something different: they slice the bitter melon extremely thin, almost into ribbons. This technique reduces the bitterness significantly and gives the stir-fry an enjoyable crisp-tender texture. It does require time and care to shave the melon this thin, so don’t feel pressured to go that far. Simply slicing it as thinly as you comfortably can will already make a noticeable difference.
Another modification I make here is using soft tofu. While firm tofu is the traditional choice, I have tried both and enjoy the version with soft tofu quite a lot more. I find that the slight bitterness of the melon, the lightness and silkiness of the soft tofu, and the savory bits of pork all play off each other very well.
This dish is currently my most favorite way to eat bitter melon as the bitterness is mellowed much more than in other preparations, such as the traditional Vietnamese pork stuffed bitter melon soup. Bitter melon can be an acquired taste, so I hope this recipe will make this gourd more palatable even for those who are sensitive to the bitter flavors.
Bitter Melon Stir-fry with Tofu and Pork
Ingredients
- 12 oz bitter melons (about 2 medium bitter melons)
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided (to taste)
- 10 oz soft tofu
- cooking oil
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced with white and green parts separated
- 2.5 oz ground pork
- 2 teaspoons sake
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the bitter melons in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out all the seeds and inner white pith. Slice the bitter melons as thinly as you can. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt over the slices and toss well. Set aside for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. After that, rinse and drain well.
- Wrap the tofu block with paper towels and then place something heavy on it for about 10 minutes to press out excess water. Then cut into thin slices.
- Place a pan over medium heat and then add cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add tofu slices. Cook both sides until the edges are lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Discard most of the oil in the pan. Add the white parts of the scallion and sauté until fragrant. Then add ground pork to the same pan and sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt. Stir and cook until the outside is almost no longer pink.
- Add bitter melon slices to the pan. Stir and then add the sake and remaining salt. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add tofu to the pan. Break the tofu into smaller pieces and then stir with the pork and bitter melons. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the green parts of the scallion and sesame oil. Adjust seasonings with extra salt (or soy sauce) to taste. Sprinkle with black pepper and transfer to serving plates.
