Title: Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon
Categories: Chinese Pork Ceideburg
Yield: 2 Servings

STUFFING
1/2	lb	Pork, ground [I minced it with cleavers. S.C.]
4		Fresh water chestnuts, peeled and finely minced
1	ts	Minced fresh ginger root
2	tb	Minced scallion
1 1/2	tb	Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1/2	ts	Salt
1/2	ts	Sugar
1	tb	Thin soy sauce
1		Egg, lightly beaten
1	ts	Cornstarch
2	lg	Bitter melons, about 3/4 to 1 lb.
SAUCE
2	tb	Peanut oil
2	ts	Minced garlic
1 1/2	tb	Fermented black beans
1	tb	Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
3/4	c	Chicken broth
		Salt to taste
1/2	ts	Cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon cold chicken broth
1	tb	Sesame oil
		From Ken Hom's book, Chinese Technique.

Combine the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl. Mix them thoroughly. The hands are the best tool for this job.

Cut the bitter melon into 1-inch slices; discard the end pieces. With a paring knife, trim out the insides. Lift them out. Stuff the cavity of each slice with a generous spoonful of stuffing.

Arrange the stuffed pieces of vegetable on a plate and set the plate on a trivet in a wok over enough hot water to come within 1 inch of the plate. Cover the wok and steam the food for 20 minutes. Remove the platter and trivet.

In a separate wok or pan, prepare the sauce. First heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil. Add the garlic and fermented black beans, stir for a minute, then add the Shaoxing wine, chicken stock and salt. Add the liquid that results from the steaming of the melon. Bring the mixture to a boil. Thicken with the dissolved cornstarch and flavor with sesame oil.

Pour the sauce over the bitter melons and serve.

Serves 2 as a main course.

NOTE: Hom makes no mention of blanching although another bitter melon recipe in another book *does* say that it will cut the bitterness.

Posted by Stephen Ceideburg; February 25 1991.

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