Chinese · Dinner
Beef With Bitter Melon
A Cantonese-style stir-fry pairing sliced beef sirloin with thin bitter melon in a glossy black bean and soy sauce. The beef is velveted for tenderness, wok-seared over high heat with garlic and ginger, then tossed with blanched bitter melon to balance its sharp bitterness against savoury, slightly sweet sauce. Served hot over steamed rice.
$6
15 minsPrep
10 minsCook
25 minsTotal
MediumLevel
Nutrition per serving
420Calories
41.2gProtein
16.8gFat
28.6gCarbs
7.2gSugar
3.9gFiber
1580mgSodium
106mgChol
3.4gSat Fat
890mgPotassium
65mgCalcium
4.2mgIron
2.3mcgVitamin B12
58mgVitamin C
gluten-free-adaptable
protein-rich
low-calorie
rich-umami
thirty-min-meals
hidden-gems
Instructions
1
Prep
Slice the beef sirloin thinly against the grain and toss with 1 tsp soy sauce, cornstarch and baking soda until evenly coated. Let sit 10 minutes.
2
Prep
Halve, seed and thinly slice the bitter melon. Toss with salt in a colander for 10 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.
3
Blanch
Boil the bitter melon slices over high heat for 45 seconds until bright green and slightly softened, then drain.
4
Sear
Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering. Add beef in a single layer and sear 60–90 seconds per side until browned but still pink inside. Transfer to a plate.
5
Saute
Add remaining oil to the wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger, stir-fry 20 seconds until fragrant and golden.
6
Saute
Stir doubanjiang into the wok for 30 seconds over medium-high heat until the oil turns red and smells toasted.
7
Simmer
Return beef and bitter melon to the wok. Add soy sauce, sugar and chicken stock, tossing over high heat 1–2 minutes until sauce clings and bitter melon is tender-crisp.
8
Plate
Drizzle sesame oil over the stir-fry, toss once in the wok, then spoon onto a plate with steamed rice.
Serves
2 portions ·
2 adults, 0 over 10, 0 under 10
Ingredients
- 12 oz340g beef sirloin
- 2 tsp2 tsp soy sauce (for velveting marinade)
- 1 tsp1 tsp cornstarch (for velveting marinade)
- 1/2 tsp1/2 tsp baking soda (for velveting marinade)
- 22 small bitter melon, about 5.3 oz (150g)
- 1 tsp1 tsp salt (for salting bitter melon)
- 4 cloves4 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp2 tsp ginger-fresh
- 2 tbsp2 tbsp doubanjiang
- 2 tbsp2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp1 tsp sugar-white
- 4 tbsp4 tbsp chicken-stock (15g, 2 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp2 tbsp vegetable-oil, divided
- 1 tsp1 tsp sesame-oil
- 1 cup180g white-rice-cooked, to serve
