----------------------------------STUFFING---------------------------------- 1/2 lb Pork, ground [I minced it -with cleavers. S.C.] 4 Fresh water chestnuts, -peeled and finely minced 1 ts Minced fresh ginger root 2 tb Minced scallion 1 1/2 tb Shaoxing wine or dry sherry 1/2 ts Salt 1/2 ts Sugar 1 tb Thin soy sauce 1 Egg, lightly beaten 1 ts Cornstarch 2 lg Bitter melons, about 3/4 to -1 lb. -----------------------------------SAUCE----------------------------------- 2 tb Peanut oil 2 ts Minced garlic 1 1/2 tb Fermented black beans 1 tb Shaoxing wine or dry sherry 3/4 c Chicken broth Salt to taste 1/2 ts Cornstarch mixed with 1 -teaspoon cold chicken broth 1 tb Sesame oil From Ken Hom's book, -Chinese Technique. Combine the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl. Mix them thoroughly. The hands are the best tool for this job. Cut the bitter melon into 1-inch slices; discard the end pieces. With a paring knife, trim out the insides. Lift them out. Stuff the cavity of each slice with a generous spoonful of stuffing. Arrange the stuffed pieces of vegetable on a plate and set the plate on a trivet in a wok over enough hot water to come within 1 inch of the plate. Cover the wok and steam the food for 20 minutes. Remove the platter and trivet. In a separate wok or pan, prepare the sauce. First heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil. Add the garlic and fermented black beans, stir for a minute, then add the Shaoxing wine, chicken stock and salt. Add the liquid that results from the steaming of the melon. Bring the mixture to a boil. Thicken with the dissolved cornstarch and flavor with sesame oil. Pour the sauce over the bitter melons and serve. Serves 2 as a main course. NOTE: Hom makes no mention of blanching although another bitter melon recipe in another book *does* say that it will cut the bitterness. Posted by Stephen Ceideburg; February 25 1991.
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