Thai Shrimp Toast Meets Bitter Melon Recipes

THAI SHRIMP TOAST

Steps:

• Chop up shrimp and mix with pork.
• In another bowl mix cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper, then add into shrimp and pork mixture.
• Add in egg and soy sauce.
• Divide the mixture into 10 parts.
• Spread mixture onto the bread and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Heat oil in a wok or pan until hot.
• Place bread in hot oil face down; cook until golden.
• Remove and place it on paper towel to remove excess oil.
• Serve with Thai sweet chili sauce.

THAI SHRIMP TOAST MEETS BITTER MELON

Steps:

• Cut the melon lengthwise and remove the seeds and fiber.
• Place in a brine of 1 tablespoon salt and a cup of water. Adding more water to cover.Let the bitter release into the water for 1-2 hours.
• Rinse and towel dry. place on a paper towel while preparing the paste.
• Cut again lengthwise to form long beds to place the shrimp paste.
• Place the remaining ingredients except the oil in a blender or food processor and pulse to form an even paste.
• Heat oil over medium high heat.
• Top each melon slice with shrimp paste.
• Place melon side down in hot oil and fry for 3 minutes,.
• Turn 1/3 way and fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Turn another 1/3 way and fry 1-2 minutes.
• Turn back to melon side and fry 1 more minute.
• remove and drain on paper towel.
• Serve as finger food or as a side to a meal.

NO-FRY KARELA CRISPIES (BITTER MELON)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to about 375°F.
• Wash the bitter melon and slice them using a mandolin slicer into thin round slices.
• Mix with salt, turmeric and chilli powder and marinate for about 1/2 an hour. Squeeze excess moisture out.
• Spread foil on a baking tray and grease it with about a tbsp oil. Toss the bitter melon slices with 2 tbsp oil and spread them on the baking tray.
• Bake for about 5-7 mins and then broil it for 7 minutes Depending on the type of your oven, the broiling might be a few mins more or less. Crispy Karela -- without frying!

STEAMED STUFFED BITTER MELON

Steps:

• PREP:.
• Finely mince the water chestnuts.
• Trim the ends off the bitter melons ans slice into 1 inch slices.
• Using a small paring knife, carefully cut out the pulp and seeds in the center of each slive, leaving onlu the melon wall.
• Rub the inside of each slice with coating of cornstarch.
• METHOD:.
• the slices:.
• Combine all of the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl.
• Mix them thoroughly using freshly washed hands.
• Rub more starch into the inner surfce of each slice of bitter melon, then stuff the cavity of each slive with a generous spoonful of stuffing, enough to completely fill the cavity.
• As the slices are stuffed, arrange them on a plate and set the plate in a steamer with water coming within an inch of the plate Cover and steam for 20 minutes.
• Arrange hte coked slices on a serving plats, reserving the juices on the plate for the sauce.
• the sauce:.
• In a separate wok or pan, heat 2 T.
• peanut oil, add the garlic and black beans, then stir fry for a minute or two, then add the Shaoxing wine, chicken stock and salt.
• Add the reserved juices from the steaming of the melon slices.
• Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Thicken with the dissolved cornstarch and flavor eith sesame oil.
• Pur sauce over bitter melon and serve with white rice.

KARELA (BITTER MELON OR GOURD)

Steps:

• Rinse bitter melon.
• Trim on both ends as needed and scrape any blemishes or hard skin.
• Cut into small rounds.
• Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.
• Add karela almost in a single layer; stir and cook until brownish.
• Reduce the heat if they tend to burn.
• Add the onions, potatoes and all the seasonings; stir until the potatoes are cooked.
• Add the tomatoes.
• Cook slowly on medium low heat, half covered, stirring as needed, until everything is cooked.
• Variation: To make STUFFED KARELA: Mix all the seasonings for stuffing, substituting 1 teaspoon cumin powder for cumin seeds.
• Using a paring knife, make a long slit in each karela, from one end to another (leaving two ends and bottom of the pod intact).
• Keep the slit open with your thumb and use a spoon to fill the opening with the stuffing.
• Stuff all the karela this way.
• Cook karela in a wide skillet using 2 tablespoons oil, almost in a single layer, on medium heat.
• Stir gently so that stuffing does not come out.
• When half cooked, add the onions.
• Reduce heat to medium low, cooking slowly, half covered or uncovered, until karela are browned.

STUFFED BITTER MELON

Steps:

• Mince pork and combine with remainder of ingredients. Mix well.
• Cut bitter melon in half, scoop out and discard seeds and white pulp in center, parboil for 3 minutes and drain.
• Heap meat mixture into each melon half.
• Arrange melon on a trivet in a heatproof baking dish which has 2 inches of boiling water at bottom.
• Cover tightly and bake for 30 -45 minutes.

BITTER MELON AND EGGS/ MARA PAD KAI

Steps:

• Cut the bitter melon in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and slice each half crosswise in thin pieces.
• Beat the eggs in a bowl with 1 to 2 tsp of light soy sauce and a dash of ground white pepper.
• Heat a wok until its surface begins to smoke.
• Swirl in the oil and let heat 10 to 15 seconds.
• Add the bitter melon and sauté in the oil for about one minute.
• Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and continue to sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the melon starts to soften.
• Spread the melon pieces thinly over the wok surface.
• Pour the beaten eggs evenly over the melon pieces.
• Let eggs set about half a minute, then flip the mixture over to cook the other side.
• Cook until eggs are set and lightly browned.

PORK STUFFED BITTER MELON

Steps:

• In a wok fill about one third of water and cover and bring to a boil.
• On a cutting broad slice the bitter melon lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl combine pork, green onion, egg, salt, pepper, sugar, ginger, oyster sauce, wine and cornstarch and mix together and divide the pork mixture into four and place the pork mixture into each shell bitter melon and place into bamboo steamer and cover into the wok with the boiling water for 20 minutes.
• In a saucepan add in the chicken broth, oyster sauce, onion powder and sesame oil and bring to a boil add in some cornstarch roux for from a light sauce.
• After the bitter melon is steamed remove from the bamboo steamer and plate the bitter melon onto a serving plate and top with the sauce.