Thai Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup (with Ground Pork)
Thai stuffed bitter melon soup is a comforting and healthy dish. It includes bitter melon, bean thread noodles, baby pork ribs, and Thai herbs and sauces. Packed with nutrients and flavored with Thai seasoning paste, this soup has a unique and slightly bitter taste from the star ingredient, bitter melon. Enjoy a delicious and nourishing meal with this soup!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 2-3 bitter melon. (2 large ones or 3 smaller ones). Cut into 4 equal pieces, seeds and pith scooped out with a spoon.
- 2 oz dried glass noodles. Soak in very warm water until soft
- 5 large cloves of garlic for pounding in a mortar and pestle.
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper or 2 teaspoons whole white peppercorns
- 1/4 cup cilantro stems cut into 1-inch pieces. Or 4 cilantro roots
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot
- 7 cup water
- 1 cube pork bullion
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fish sauce, more to taste
- 1 tsp soy sauce, more to taste
- 1/4 cup green onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
- Garnishes: Cilantro leaves, sliced green onions, and ground white pepper
Instructions
- 1
by cutting it into 4 small pieces and removing the white pith (the white part) and seeds. In a large bowl, soak the melon in water with a little salt (1 tablespoon) to help remove some of the bitterness of the melon.
- 2
in warm water for 8-10 minutes or until soft. Drain and cut into 4-5 inch pieces.
- 3
seasoning by combining garlic, cilantro stems, and white pepper with a mortar and pestle. Pound into a rough paste. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, mix the ingredients into fine pieces. The paste will be divided into halves—one part for the pork mixture and the other half for the soup base.
- 4
In a mixing bowl, Combine ground pork, glass noodles, half of the green paste, carrot, and green onion. Mix well and get ready to stuff the melon.
- 5
Drain the soaked bitter melon, pat dry, and stuff it with the meat filling. Allow some room for the meat to expand once cooked.
- 6
Add pork boullion, half the green paste, and salt and water in a large pot. Turn the stove to high heat. Bring it to a boil and season the soup with fish sauce and soy sauce.
- 7
Carefully Place the stuffed bitter melon in the pot of boiling water.
- 8
until the melon is tender and the soup is flavorful. About 15-20 minutes. Season as needed. That is it! Serve hot with jasmine rice or as a stand-alone tasty soup!