苦瓜肉片 Stir Fried Bitter Melon and Pork

Pinyin: kǔ guā ròu piàn

One of my lesser liked vegetables is bitter melon, I think it will grow on me eventually, but for now it’s not my thing. The fruit is a lot like a cucumber, but just much more bitter, in fact it’s one of the most bitter fruits we know. As the fruit ripens it turns from green to yellow to orange and grows progressively bitter to the point that “ripe” bitter melon is inedible.

The bitter melon and pork stir fry was simply flavored with salt and garlic letting the pork and vegetables flavors mingle without restraint. The pork slices were mildly flavored with the bitter melon and the bitter melon was tolerable in small pieces. Every year I try some bitter melon at least once just to see how it’s treating me, I feel I really should like this bizarre vegetable, and one day I hope I will.