The stuffed bitter melon soup has a slightly bitter flavour, so it’s typically only enjoyed by those who like a bitter taste while still receiving its health benefits. The marinated pork and the flavours of the chicken broth, bitter melon, oyster sauce, chicken powder, ground black pepper, and glass noodles work together to better the taste of the soup.
INGREDIENTS
- Ground pork: ground pork with 60% lean meat and 40% fat
- Bitter melon: or bitter gourd. Although it is naturally bitter, we make every effort to minimize its bitterness. The bitterness is reduced and the flavour improves after cooking.
- Chicken broth: use chicken hipbones deboned from the chicken thighs or any part of chicken bone except the thigh bone and the lower leg or drumstick bone.
- Glass noodles: soak one small roll of dried noodles in cool water for half an hour and drain well, cut into shorter lengths.
- Green Onion: cut into 1 inch long for topping.
- Salt: we use only salt not fish sauce
- Sugar: helps to balance the sweetness of the soup.
- Chicken Soup base mix: make the flavour of the broth even more delicious.
- Black pepper: the word soup here in Khmer we say “Sngaor”, and usually sngaor always adds ground black pepper.
STEPS:
1.
Chicken broth: is made by bringing water to a boil with chicken hips bones and simmering it for at least an hour. Skim the fat while the broth is cooking to create a clear broth and get rid of any impurities.
2.
Red Bell Pepper Paste: soak dried red bell pepper in warm water for at least 1-2 hours. Then remove the seeds and finely chop until it turns into a paste.
3.
Cut the bitter melon 3-4 inches long, and remove the seeds. Bring the right amount of water to a boil to cover the bitter melon, add salt, and stir to dissolve the salt. And cook for about 5 minutes to remove the bitterness from the bitter melon. Transfer into cold or ice water to stop the cooking process. Let them cool down in the cold water for a few minutes, and drain well. Stuff them with pork.
4.
For the greatest flavor of the soup, simmer chicken bones in a large amount of water to make chicken broth. The stuffed bitter melon, salt, sugar, and chicken soup base mix (bullion) should all be added at this point. Cook for an hour, or until the bitter melon becomes soft, and then add the green onion.
Serving!
Serve with rice and side dishes such as Koh Kong dipping sauce, pan-fry dried fish, or pickled. Yummy!
Bitter Melon Soup
- September 3, 2022
- 5
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Ingredients
- 750g | 1.6 lbs Ground pork
- 500g Chicken bones
- 3 large Bitter melons
- 1 small roll Glass noodles
- 3 litres Chicken broth
- 11/2 tablespoons Sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon Salt (2 teaspoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt (for boiling bitter melon)
- 11/2 tablespoons Chicken soup base mix
- 1/2 tablespoon Black pepper (2 teaspoons)
- 5 stalks green onion
Directions
- Step 1
- Chicken Broth: Bring water to a boil and add chicken hipbones and simmer for 1 hour or longer. While simmering, skim off the fat to make the clear broth.
- Step 2
- Pork for stuffing: Soak the dried glass noodle in cool water for half an hour. Then drain and cut into shorter length. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork, sugar, salt, chicken soup base mix, black pepper, oyster sauce, and soaked and cut glass noodles, mix well. Set aside.
- Step 3
- Bitter Melon: Cut the bitter melon into 3-4 inches long, and remove the seeds.
- Step 4
- In a pot over medium-high heat, bring the right amount of water to a boil to cover the bitter melon, add salt, and bitter melons and stir to dissolve the salt. And cook for about 5 minutes to remove the bitterness from the bitter melon. Transfer into a basket of cold or ice water to stop the cooking process. Let them cool down in the cold water for a few minutes then drain well.
- Step 5
- Bitter Melon Soup: Cut the green onion into 1 inch long. Set aside. Start stuffing the bitter melons with pork. For the rest of the pork, make some pork balls. Back to chicken broth, take the bones out after 1 hour. Then start adding the stuffed bitter melons. Add sugar, salt, chicken soup base mix, and ground black pepper, and bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat to medium-high, and do not cover the lid. Skim off the foam and simmer for 1 hour until the bitter melons turn tender.
- Step 6
- Last, add the green onion and gently stir. Turn the heat off and it’s ready to serve.
- Step 7
- Serve with rice, and enjoy!
