Yield
Prep Time
mins
Cook Time
mins
Difficulty Level
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This recipe is a spin on the Okinawan dish of goya champuru, which is a bittergourd stir-fry with pork and pressed tofu. It uses two kinds of bittergourd – the white one and the mini bittergourd – which gives you a jade-like colour combination.

White bittergourd tastes less bitter than the green variety and may be easier on the palate. If you prefer the bittergourd to be tenderer, simply cook it a little longer.

Ingredients

  • 500 g pork collar, thinly sliced and cut into 3 cm by 4 cm pieces
  • 1 tsp cooking sake
  • 1 tbsp light soya sauce
  • 100 g tau kwa (pressed tofu), cut into 1 cm cubes
  • 4 tbsps cooking oil
  • 180 g white bittergourd, thinly sliced
  • 140 g mini bittergourd, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • Pinch of salt
  • 100 ml water
  • 40 g beansprouts
  • 30 g carrot, shredded
  • 1 level tsp salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • ½ tsp sesame oil
  • 3 g bonito flakes
01.

Place the pork in a bowl, and add the cooking sake and one tablespoon of light soya sauce. Place in refrigerator to marinate for 20 mins. Remove it from the refrigerator five minutes before cooking.

02.

Heat 2 tbsps of oil and fry the tau kwa over medium-low heat until golden brown.

03.

Place the fried tau kwa on kitchen paper to drain excess oil.

04.

In a clean pan, heat two tablespoons of oil. Fry the garlic for a minute.

05.

Add the white bittergourd. Fry for 45 secs and add the mini bittergourd.

06.

Add pinch of salt and fry for a minute.

07.

Add water and cook until there is no visible liquid.

08.

Add the pork. Fry for 2 mins.

09.

Add the beansprouts and shredded carrot. Fry for 1 min.

10.

Season with a level teaspoon of salt. Add the pepper and sesame oil.

11.

Turn off the heat. Garnish with bonito flakes and serve immediately.

ABOUT THE CHEF: Hedy Khoo is the columnist for The New Paper’s HED CHEF which features Asian cuisine and recipes. You can follow Hedy on her Instagram account @hedchefhedykhoo for more of her culinary adventures.

Text and recipe: Hedy Khoo / Photo: The New Paper

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