Name: Hairy Melon Stuffed with Pork and Black Fungus Strips (Bí Dồn Thịt)
Yield: Serves 4-6 as part of a Shared Meal
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon dried mung beans; 2 hairy melons, each 20 cm (8 inches) in length; 2 spring onions (scallions), white part only, sliced; 10 g (¼ oz) dried bean thread (glass) vermicelli noodles; 150 g (5½ oz) minced pork; 1 egg white; 1 handful coriander (cilantro) leaves; ½ teaspoon sugar; 2 teaspoons fish sauce; 1 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced; fish sauce, for dipping

Preparation info

Serves
4-6
as part of a Shared Meal

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Songs of Sapa

By Luke Nguyen

Published 2009

About

HAIRY MELON IS IN THE GOURD FAMILY AND IS ALSO KNOWN AS A HAIRY GOURD, FUZZY GOURD OR HAIRY CUCUMBER. IF YOU CAN’T FIND HAIRY MELON IN YOUR ASIAN MARKET, YOU CAN USE BITTER MELON IN THIS RECIPE INSTEAD.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dried mung beans
10 g (¼ oz) dried bean thread (glass) vermicelli

Method

Put the mung beans in a bowl, cover with water and soak for 20 minutes, then drain. Transfer the drained beans to a steamer and place over a saucepan of boiling water, then cover and steam for 20 minutes.

Soak the bean thread vermicelli in water for 20 minutes, then drain and use kitchen scissors to cut into 4