Fried bitter gourd with salted eggs

Most people especially children won’t eat bitter gourd because of the bitter taste. However, they will eat it if fried with salted eggs.

Bitter gourd or bitter melon is actually a member of the squash family and resembles a cucumber with bumpy skin. The big Chinese variety is less bitter and the small Indian variety is slightly more bitter. According to Chinese tradition, food that is bitter is good for reducing body heatiness.    

Ingredients

1 medium sized bitter gourd

3 salted eggs

Chopped garlic

Halve the melon and remove the seeds

Slice fairly thinly

Hard boil the salted eggs so that when cooked the egg white will not look slimy

Separate the yolk from the white

Use all the egg yolks but only half the egg white

Mash both the yolk and the egg white

Heat the oil in a wok till hot and add the chopped garlic and some salt

Stir briskly and add bitter gourd.  

Sprinkle warm water once in a while to keep bitter gourd moist and cook until bitter gourd is soft

Add the egg white and mix thoroughly for about 2 minutes

Add the egg yolk and continue stirring

It is ready when oil from the egg starts to bubble

If desired sprinkle some fried shallots on it and serve with steamed rice