How to cook bitter melon soup

Bitter melon soup holds cultural significance in Southern Vietnamese culture, as kho qua, or bitter melon, is a play on words for easing life's difficulties. Consuming this soup during Lunar New Year symbolizes a wish for a smooth and prosperous year ahead.

This recipe serves about 4 to 6 people, takes approximately 60 minutes to prepare, and provides around 1,080 calories in total.

Ingredients

- 3-4 bitter melons

- 200 grams of ground pork

- 50 grams of strabismus fish

- 2 dried wood ear mushroom (soaked)

- 1 bunch of coriander

- 1 handful of scallions

- Spices: fish sauce, salt, sugar, stock powder, pepper, chili

Instructions

A small teaspoon is handy for removing the seeds inside the melon. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Use a small knife to make a vertical cut in the bitter melon, gently separate it and remove the seeds.

- Ensure to scrape off the white membrane inside. This not only makes it less bitter but also helps the meat stick better when stuffing.

- Soak the bitter melon in diluted salt water to reduce bitterness.

- As an additional step, blanch the bitter melon and rub a bit of sugar inside to further tone down bitterness.

- Thoroughly wash the bitter melon to remove any residual salt, and then drain it.

- Soak wood ear mushrooms, wash, and finely chop.

- Wash scallions and coriander, and cut into small pieces.

If available, you can add some chopped shallots to enhance the aroma of the stuffing. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- In a mixing bowl, combine ground pork, strabismus fish, wood ear mushrooms, scallions, and coriander.

- Season the mixture with 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of stock powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

- Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance meat pliability.

The mixture is speckled with dark bits of wood ear mushrooms and green scallions. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Use a spoon to stuff the bitter melon with the meat and fish mixture.

- Use scallion stalks blanched in water to securely tie the bitter melon.

Securing the bitter melons with scallion stalks not only keeps them in place but also enhances the visual appeal. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Boil water or opt for different broth bases like bone broth or fresh coconut water.

- To soften the bitter melon while retaining its green color, ensure the broth boils before adding it to the stew, keeping the lid open.

- Once boiling, add the bitter melon to the stew, uncover, and skim off foam occasionally to keep the broth clear.

- When the bitter melon is tender, season as needed, and add onions, cilantro, and pepper.

Final product

A bowl of stuffed bitter melon soup. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

The bitter melon should be soft, retaining its green color, with the meat and fish clinging to the fruit, presenting a soup with a blend of sweet and bitter flavors. Feel free to add chili on top for decoration and enhancing the taste.