Bitter gourd, also known as bitter melon, is one of the healthiest vegetables known to mankind, but not many children like to eat it because as the name suggests, it can be bitter! But it need not be if you know the trick to select the less bitter melons.
Did you know you can grow your own bitter gourd? You don’t need a huge land to grow them as they flourish in pots, too! Now is the best time to grow our own food as we are always at home during this pandemic.
Not only does it take away our boredom, it is also educational for our children to watch the growing process. The best reward is the POT-to-TABLE experience upon harvesting the fruit of our labour.
My boys show an interest in eating bitter gourd after they got involved in growing it themselves. Prior to that they won’t even touch bitter gourd if I served it during our meals.
Bitter melon is a great source of several key nutrients. It is especially rich in vitamin C and vitamin A. Bitter gourd is low in calories, yet high in fiber. It is also linked to numerous health benefits, including improved blood sugar control and cholesterol levels.
If you are keen to get your children involved in nature, here is our tutorial video on a step-by-step of growing your very own bitter gourd:
Now that we have harvested our precious bitter gourd, what do we do with it? There are many ways to cook bitter gourd, but the most popular with my boys is simply frying it with eggs.
Stir-Fried Bitter Gourds with Eggs Recipe
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
- 1 small bitter gourd
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- chicken stock granules to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Tips for Less Bitter Bitter Gourd
- Cut bitter gourd in half lengthwise.
- Scoop out the seeds. This can be easier done with a spoon.
- Cut the bitter gourd into thin slices.
- Sprinkle salt all over the bitter gourd slices.
- Mix well and leave it for at least 15 minutes.
- Rinse the salt away.
- Squeeze as dry as possible.
Frying the Bitter Gourd with Eggs
- Break eggs into a bowl. Add salt and pepper, then whisk eggs.
- Heat oil in pot and stir fry chopped garlic until fragrant.
- Add chicken stock granules and stir.
- Add prepared bitter gourd slices and stir fry over high heat for about 2-3 minutes until lightly brown.
- Pour the beaten egg slowly over the bitter gourd slices.
- Once eggs start to set, stir to break it up.
- Stir fry until the egg is cooked and dry.
- Transfer to a plate and serve.
