Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup / Canh Khổ Qua
Stuffed Bittermelon Soup is typically eaten during the Lunar New Year to symbolize the passing of hardships and to start the year on a clean slate!
- Prep time
- 45 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 large bitter melons
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1/4 cup wood ear mushroom
- 1 oz bean thread noodles
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and pepper
- 5 quart water
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup dried shrimp
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp MSG
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
- Green onion
- Cilantro
- Black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Rehydrate wood ear mushrooms, bean thread noodles, and dried shrimp with warm water in separate bowls for 10 minutes. Then, using a pair of scissors, cut the mushroom and noodles into little pieces and set everything aside
- 2
Wash bittermelon, then cut into 1.5-2-inch sections. Use a spoon to core out the inner tissue and seeds
- 3
In a mixing bowl, combine ground pork with rehydrated mushrooms and noodles. Season with fish sauce, chicken bouillon, sugar, salt and pepper
- 4
Stuff bittermelon with pork filling, making sure it's well-packed. Form small meatballs with any remaining filling
- 5
In a stock pot, sauté minced garlic til fragrant. Add rehydrated dried shrimp and sauté for another couple of minutes. Add water, bring up to a boil, and skim off the impurities
- 6
Add stuffed bitter melon and pork meatballs, bring back up to a boil, skim off any additional impurities, and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until bitter melon is fork tender
- 7
Season broth with fish sauce, sugar and MSG
- 8
Ladle into a bowl and garnish with cilantro, green onion, and black pepper. Serve with rice