Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon

The recipe I found it from here. Taste delicious. I used ground chicken instead of pork.

----STUFFING-------------------------------

1/2 lb chicken, ground

1 can water slice water chestnuts (minced coarsely)

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

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