Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

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Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (1)

by: Judy

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Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (2)

Okay, I am not under any illusions about this beef with bitter melon stir-fry. Bitter melon recipesaren’t for everyone, and thename alone is enough to have some people running in the opposite direction! But some people love it (I am one of those people), and for good reason. Let me see if I can convince you to give this delicious combo of bitter melon, beef, and salty black bean sauce a try.

About Bitter Melon

To some Chinese people, eating “bitter gourd,” (more commonly known as bitter melon) during the summertime is a must, because the Chinese believe that bitter melon is “cooling,” helping tocool your body in the midst of the summer heat. A lot of families eat bitter melon weekly for this reason.

Whilemost people don’t like this dish solely because they’re afraid of the bitterflavor, I promise…if you follow my beef with bitter melon recipe and methodof preparation, you can minimize the bitterness.

Plus, according to WebMD, its fruit and seeds are used to make medicine! I knew bitter melon was very good for you, but I didn’t know it also contains a chemical that helps reduce blood sugar levels. As far as we’re concerned, bitter melon is right up there with the acai berries and goji berries of the world. Try it!

Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (3)

Beef with Bitter Melon: Recipe Instructions

Start by mixing the sliced beef (read more on how to prepare beef for stir-fry) with the marinade ingredients (cornstarch, baking soda, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce and water). Marinate for 20 minutes.

To prepare the bitter melon:

  • Cut each bitter melonin half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Scrape all the white parts clean, because the white parts cause the bitterness. Then slice themelonon a 45-degree angle into thin slices.
  • Prepare an ice bath and set aside.
  • Boil a pot of water, and stir in 1 tablespoon each of salt and baking soda. Blanch the bitter melon for 1 minute, and use a slotted spoon to immediatelytransferthe bitter melon to the ice bath. Drain and set aside.

Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (5)

Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (6)

Preheat the wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil andsearthe beef for about 45 seconds. Remove from the wok and set aside.

Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (7)

Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok over medium heat. Cook the garlic and black beans for a minute. Turn up the heat to high (this gives the dish that necessary wok-hay flavor), and add the bitter melon, stir frying quickly.

Now add the shaoxing wine, sugar, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Stir and mix everything well.

Now add the beef and chicken stock (if you like more sauce), stir-frying and salting to taste.

Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (8)

At this point, I usually like to cover the wok and let the dish cook for one more minute. Cooking the bitter melonuntil it’s tender doesn’t make this the prettiest dish in your arsenal, but it definitely makes the dish tastier and the bitter melon less bitter. Serve your beef with bitter melon on top of steamed rice for a one plate meal on a weeknight!

Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (9)

Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (10)

Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (11)

For more beef stir-fry goodness, try our thai basil beefand our beef and pepperstir-fry!

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5 from 19 votes

Beef with Bitter Melon

Beef with bitter melon is one of the most common Chinese bitter melon recipes out there, stir-fried with black bean sauce and served over hot steamed rice.

by: Judy

Course:Beef

Cuisine:Chinese

Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (12)

serves: 4 servings

Prep: 25 minutes minutes

Cook: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 35 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

You'll need:

  • 1 pound beef (450g, sliced against the grain; flank steak works well)
  • 2 medium bitter melons
  • salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons oil (divided)
  • 6 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons black beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons shaoxing wine
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons water ( or chicken stock, optional)

To marinate the beef:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon shaoxing wine
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon water

Instructions

  • Start by mixing the sliced beef with the marinade ingredients (cornstarch, baking soda, oyster sauce, shaoxing wine, light soy sauce and water). Marinate the beef for 20 minutes.

  • To prepare the bitter melon, cut each melon in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Scrape all the white parts clean, because the white parts cause the bitterness. Then slice the melon on a 45-degree angle into thin slices.

  • Prepare an ice bath and set aside. Boil a pot of water, and stir in 1 tablespoon each of salt and baking soda. Blanch the bitter melon for 1 minute, and use a slotted spoon to immediately transfer the bitter melon to the ice bath. Drain and set aside.

  • Preheat the wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and sear the beef for about 45 seconds. Remove from the wok and set aside.

  • Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok over medium heat. Cook the garlic and black beans for a minute. Turn up the heat to high (this gives the dish that necessary wok-hay flavor), and add the bitter melon, stir frying quickly. Now add the shaoxing wine, sugar, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Stir and mix everything well.

  • Now add the beef and chicken stock (if you like more sauce), stir-frying and salting to taste. At this point, I usually like to cover the wok and let the dish cook for one more minute. Cooking the bitter melon until it’s tender doesn’t make this the prettiest dish in your arsenal, but it definitely makes the dish tastier and the bitter melon less bitter!

nutrition facts

Calories: 399kcal (20%) Carbohydrates: 7g (2%) Protein: 22g (44%) Fat: 30g (46%) Saturated Fat: 9g (45%) Cholesterol: 81mg (27%) Sodium: 896mg (37%) Potassium: 498mg (14%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 219IU (4%) Vitamin C: 40mg (48%) Calcium: 37mg (4%) Iron: 3mg (17%)

nutritional info disclaimer

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (17)

About Judy

Judy is the mom of The Woks of Life family. Born in Shanghai, she arrived in the U.S. at age 16. Fluent in both English and three separate Chinese dialects, she's our professional menu translator when we're eating our way through China. Dedicated to preserving disappearing recipes and traditions, her specialty is all things traditional, from mooncakes to home-style stir-fries.

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Beef with Bitter Melon Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

How do you make bitter melon palatable? ›

A little sugar helps combat the bitterness. There are also plenty of variations on bitter melon stir-fries that involve adding proteins such as dried shrimp or pork. Serve as a side dish for pork, chicken, or seafood alongside rice or noodles.

Is it better to eat bitter melon raw or cooked? ›

Unlike most melons, bitter melon has a strong, bitter taste and no sweetness. In fact, the fruit gets more bitter as it ripens. Both its green husk and its white insides are edible, and while you can eat bitter melon raw, many people prefer it cooked, because cooking tones down the bitter flavor.

What is the healthiest way to eat bitter melon? ›

You can eat bitter melon raw or cooked or make a concentrated extract from it. The latter is the most nutritious and has the most health benefits. As is done in Asian cuisine, you can also use its unripe fruit as a vegetable and make stir-fries and many other recipes from it.

When should you not eat bitter melon? ›

Women who are breastfeeding should also not eat this fruit because some bad substances of bitter melon can be passed into breast milk. People with low blood pressure (or a history of low blood pressure): Bitter melon has the effect of lowering blood pressure thanks to its ingredients Charantin, Polypeptid-P and Vicine.

What part of the bitter melon do you eat? ›

Bitter melon flesh is usually off-white, with large, dark seeds. Both the peel and the flesh are edible. Look for fruit that are firm, without significant blemishes or blackened spots, especially at the delicate tips of the fruit (for Indian-types).

Is cooked bitter melon good for you? ›

Bitter melon is chock full of vitamin C, which is not only a great immunity booster, but it's also great for your skin and bones,” notes Czerwony. “And vitamin A also supports your immune system, vision and reproductive health.” Minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc are essential for good health.

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