Chinese Bitter Melon Stuffed with Pork Soup

Name: Chinese Bitter Melon Stuffed with Pork Soup (Gaeng Jeut Mara Sort Sy)
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 2 Chinese bitter melons, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) rounds and deseeded; 1 coriander (cilantro) root; Pinch salt; 150 g (5 oz) pork, minced (ground); 1 teaspoon white (granulated) sugar; 500 mL (2 cups/16 fl oz) stock; 1 teaspoon palm sugar; 4 Chinese shallots, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) lengths; 2 cloves garlic, minced and deep-fried; 15 mL (1 tablespoon) fish sauce; 15 mL (1 tablespoon) oyster sauce; 1 teaspoon white peppercorns, ground; 1 tablespoon coriander (cilantro) leaves

Gaeng Jeut Mara Sort Sy

Preparation info

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Classic Thai Cuisine

By David Thompson

Published 1993

About

THIS SOUP IS of Chinese origin, bitterness not being a taste characteristic of Thai food. Prawns may be added to this soup to sweeten the flavour. If you find Chinese melon is too bitter, then you can substitute cucumbers. In this case there is no need to salt or pre-blanch the vegetable.

Ingredients

2 Chinese bitter melons, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) rounds and deseeded
2 tablespoons salt
2 cloves<

Asia
China
Thailand
Soup
South East Asia

Method

Cover the rounds of melon with 2 tablespoons of salt and set aside for 2 hours.

Rinse off the salt and blanch the melon once or twice depending on taste and the bitterness of the melon.

In a mortar and pestle (or food processor), pound the chopped garlic, whole peppercorns, coriander root and salt until fine. Combine with the pork and white sugar. Stuff the melon with the pork m