Beef with Bitter Melon Stir Fry aka 苦瓜牛肉 – who would’ve thought something bitter could be yummy? Not me when I was a child, but now as an adult, I appreciate the unique flavors of this dish. This is a go to when we want bitter melon!

What is Bitter Melon?

Bitter melon, aka bitter gourd, is part of the gourd family – closely related to zucchini, squash, and cucumber.

Many Asian cuisine uses bitter melon as an ingredient, including Chinese, Indian, Burmese, Indonesian, Thai, and more.

This gourd is known for its bitter tasty and bumpy appearance. It can definitely be known for its acquired taste, but some still like to eat it due to its health benefits.

Bitter melons is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and Iron. It can also help reduce blood sugar, decrease cholesterol, and may have cancer fighting properties!

How to cook Beef with Bitter Melon Stir Fry

First gather your ingredients:

1/2 lb beef, cut in to strips
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 bitter melon, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 tbsp douchi aka black beans
1 tsp garlic chili sauce

Add the beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch in a large mixing bowl. Let this marinade for at least 15 minutes (up to over night).

If you haven’t already sliced the bitter melons, this is a great time to do it. Cut it half way through length-wise first, then slice it 1/4-inch thick.

In a large mixing bowl, fill with water and ice. Set aside. In a pot of boiling water, add bitter melon and let it blanch for 1 minute, and then remove bitter melon from boiling water and transfer to the ice water. Drain and set aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet with 2 tbsp vegetable oil with garlic and douchi (black beans), and when oil is hot add beef and cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until the meat is mostly browned.

Add sliced bitter melons, and stir fry over high heat about 3 minutes, and add beef back in to wok/skillet.

Add garlic chili sauce and stir fry for another 2 minutes or until meat is cooked thoroughly and bitter melon is softened but still crisp.

Remove from heat and serve!

Beef with Bitter Melon Stir Fry

Beef with Bitter Melon Stir Fry aka 苦瓜牛肉 - Marinated beef stir fried with sliced bitter melon and douchi (black beans) sauce.

Ingredients

1/2 lb beef, cut in to strips
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 bitter melon, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 tbsp douchi aka black beans
1 tsp garlic chili sauce

Instructions

Add the beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch in a large mixing bowl. Let this marinade for at least 15 minutes (up to over night).
If you haven’t already sliced the bitter melons, this is a great time to do it. Cut it half way through length-wise first, then slice it 1/4-inch thick.
In a large mixing bowl, fill with water and ice. Set aside. In a pot of boiling water, add bitter melon and let it blanch for 1 minute, and then remove bitter melon from boiling water and transfer to the ice water. Drain and set aside.
Heat a wok or large skillet with 2 tbsp vegetable oil with garlic and douchi (black beans), and when oil is hot add beef and cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until the meat is mostly browned.
Add sliced bitter melons, and stir fry over high heat about 3 minutes, and add beef back in to wok/skillet.
Add garlic chili sauce and stir fry for another 2 minutes or until meat is cooked thoroughly and bitter melon is softened but still crisp.
Remove from heat and serve!