Eight-Treasure Stuffed Bitter Melon
A Hakka dish of bitter melon stuffed with pork, seafood, and other assorted fillings, then steamed and braised.
Ingredients
bitter melon (bitter gourd), deseeded, cut into sections slightly over 1 inch long, blanched, and chilled
700 g
pork shoulder (with both fat and lean meat), finely minced
250 g
dried shrimp, soaked and finely chopped
15 g
squid, soaked and finely chopped
25 g
shiitake mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
10 g
glutinous rice, soaked until fully hydrated and steamed until cooked
50 g
oyster sauce
40 g
MSG (flavor enhancer)
to taste
light soy sauce
to taste
Instructions
1
Step 1
Remove the seeds and pith from the bitter melon and cut it into sections, each slightly over 1 inch long. Blanch the sections in boiling water, then transfer them to cold water to chill. Soak the glutinous rice until fully hydrated and steam it until cooked. Soak the squid, dried shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms until softened, then finely chop them. Mince the pork.
2
Step 2
Combine the light soy sauce, MSG, and all the prepared ingredients, and mix evenly. Stuff the mixture into the bitter melon, arrange the pieces on a plate, and steam until fully cooked. Heat oil in a separate wok, add the stuffed bitter melon and oyster sauce, and braise briefly until done.
