The New Realm of Bitter Melon Cooking: Say Goodbye to Astringency and Enjoy the Sweetness
In the countryside of my hometown, there is a bitter gourd dish known as "fragrant and moisturizing", which is not only refreshing and delicious, but also has rich nutritional value. The secret of this dish lies in the unique skill of the cooking method, which I will share with you today. There is no need to blanch the bitter gourd in water, just a simple trick can quickly remove the bitter taste, so that the bitter gourd tastes neither astringent nor bitter, and is full of sweetness.
The story of the bitter melon
I remember when I was a child, every summer, there would always be a large area of bitter gourd growing in the vegetable garden at home. At that time, I always felt that the bitter gourd tasted too bitter, especially after cooking, the bitterness was even worse, and it was difficult to swallow in one bite. Until one day, I heard the advice of an elder: stop blanching bitter gourd with water, that will only make the bitter taste stronger. So, I started to explore how to make bitter gourd even more delicious.
A trick
On the basis of my many attempts and summaries, I have found a simple and effective way to quickly remove the astringency of bitter gourd and make it sweet and delicious. That is, before frying the bitter gourd, it is salted for a while. Salt absorbs the bitterness of bitter gourd, while also making it more crisp and tasty.
The specific method is: cut the bitter gourd into thin slices or cubes, then sprinkle an appropriate amount of salt on the bitter gourd, stir well, and let it stand for about half an hour to an hour. While waiting, you can see that some water will seep out of the surface of the bitter gourd, and at the same time, the bitterness will gradually decrease. After that, rinse the bitter gourd with clean water, wash off the excess salt, and then drain and set aside. The bitter gourd processed in this way not only tastes better, but also tastes better in the stir-fried dishes.
Life experience
In addition to this simple cooking technique, I would like to share some of the experiences that I have explored in my life in the hope that it will inspire you.
- Try a variety of combinations: Although bitter melon is a bit bitter, it can bring out its unique flavor when paired properly. For example, bitter gourd can be stir-fried with eggs, garlic sprouts, ham and other ingredients, which can not only neutralize the bitterness, but also add more texture and layering.
- Moderate heat control: When frying bitter gourd, it is very important to master the heat. If the fire is too large, it will be easy to burn, and if the fire is too small, it will be easy to produce water, which will affect the taste. It is recommended to stir-fry quickly over high heat first, and then turn to low heat and simmer for a period of time to make the bitter gourd more flavorful.
- Pay attention to the knife work: The skill of cutting bitter gourd is also crucial, the thinner the cut, the easier it is to remove the bitterness. In addition, the white part of the bitter gourd can be removed from the middle, because the white part contains more bitter substances.
epilogue
Through this simple cooking technique, we can not only enjoy the sweet taste of bitter gourd, but also feel the joy and wisdom of life from it. Life is like a dish, only by savoring it with your heart can you taste the beauty in it. I hope that everyone will continue to explore and innovate on the road of cooking, so that every dish is full of love and surprises!