Stuffed Bitter Melon (Canh KHỔ Qua NHỒI GIÒ SỐNG)

Bitter melon is one of the Asian vegetables with tremendous health benefits, but as its name implies, it is quite bitter. However, the bitter melon sold in the markets here is not quite as bitter as the one in Vietnam. My mother used to trick us into eating this soup for our own benefit. Years ago, when my dad was still alive, he used to juice the bitter melon, red bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, and celery every day and drank this healthy juice to counter the effects of his diabetes.  I like this soup, but it is not convenient for me to have this soup often because I live quite far from a Vietnamese grocery. This healthy vegetable is not popular to a Westerner’s taste, so most of the American groceries do not carry this item in the store.  Because of its health benefits, I try to make this soup as often as I can. The easy and tasteful way to make this soup is by using the chicken paste (giò sống). It sells in most Vietnamese stores, or it is easy to make at home, too. I already posted this chicken paste recipe on my blog. My Western friends tasted this soup and they like it. They urged me to post this soup recipe and here it is.

Ingredients:
2 medium bitter melons
1/2 lb. chicken paste or pork paste
3 dry shitake mushrooms, soaked in water, drained and finely chopped
½ oz. vermicelli noodles, soaked in water and finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped white onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
Some fresh oyster mushrooms, sliced

Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro

Hot cooked rice

Directions:
Cut bitter melon into 2 or 3 sections. Use a melon scoop to hollow out the center of the melon and discard.

 

 

In a mixing bowl, combine chicken paste, chopped shallot, garlic, onions, and vermicelli noodles and season with salt, pepper, cayenne, sugar, and soy sauce.

 

Stuff this mixture into each section of the melon.

Bring a pot of chicken broth to boil and drop stuffed melon into the boiling broth. Skim off any residue rising to the surface.

Add fresh mushrooms to the pot. If any filling is left over, make a small ball and drop into the boiling broth.

Seasoning the broth with some fish sauce or salt might be necessary. Simmer melon for 20 minutes.

Ladle the soup into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. Serve with a bowl of cooked brown rice, and it is now a fantastic, healthy meal.