Chinese Recipes
Stir-Fried Bitter Melon with Pork
This bitter melon pork recipe is a Chinese stir-fry made with sliced pork, bitter melon, garlic, ginger, fermented black beans, light soy sauce, and Sichuan pepper oil. Bitter melon is also called bitter gourd, so the same dish may be searched as bitter gourd and pork stir-fry. The key is to blanch the bitter melon briefly, stir-fry the pork until just cooked, then combine everything quickly so the pork stays tender and the bitter melon keeps a crisp-tender bite.
- Total
- 20 Minutes
Quick Recipe Summary
- Cuisine
- Chinese
- Category
- Chinese Recipes
- Method
- Stir-fry
- Total Time
- 20 Minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Main Ingredient
- Bitter Melon
About This Recipe
This bitter melon pork recipe is a Chinese stir-fry made with sliced pork, bitter melon, garlic, ginger, fermented black beans, light soy sauce, and Sichuan pepper oil. Bitter melon is also called bitter gourd, so the same dish may be searched as bitter gourd and pork stir-fry. The key is to blanch the bitter melon briefly, stir-fry the pork until just cooked, then combine everything quickly so the pork stays tender and the bitter melon keeps a crisp-tender bite.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in about 20 minutes, so it can fit into a busy cooking day.
- Beginner-friendly enough for cooks who are still building confidence in the kitchen.
- Helpful for practicing timing, heat control, and the order of adding ingredients.
- Shows a practical way to cook pork with clear preparation and cooking cues.
- Gives the dish a clear savory flavor profile without making the method feel complicated.
Ingredients
- 2 pieces Bitter Melon
- 100 g thinly sliced Pork
- 5 g Fermented Black Beans
- Several cloves, divided Garlic
- 1 small piece Ginger
- 1 small piece Onion
- 4 g Salt
- 10 g Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Ground Sichuan Pepper
- 5 g Sichuan Pepper Oil
- 5 g Sugar
Ingredient Notes
These notes explain the role of the main ingredients so the recipe is easier to adjust.
Bitter Melon
This ingredient helps define the flavor, texture, or structure of the dish.
thinly sliced Pork
Pork brings savory depth and works well with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and vegetables.
Fermented Black Beans
This ingredient helps define the flavor, texture, or structure of the dish.
Several cloves, divided Garlic
Garlic gives the dish a savory base and becomes most fragrant when cooked briefly in oil or brine.
Ingredients & Techniques Used in This Recipe
These guides explain the key sauces, ingredients, and cooking techniques used in this recipe, so you can understand the dish instead of only following steps.
Sauce
Light Soy Sauce
The everyday soy sauce for salt, umami, marinades, and stir-fry seasoning.
Ingredient
Sichuan Peppercorn
The citrusy, numbing spice behind many Sichuan dishes.
Ingredient
Bitter Melon
A bitter gourd used in stir-fries, soups, and cooling home-style dishes.
Technique
How to Stir Fry Properly
Learn heat control, ingredient order, sauce timing, and quick wok cooking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Gather the bitter melon, pork, garlic, ginger, onion, fermented black beans, and seasonings.
Step 2
Slice the pork thinly. Add part of the salt, light soy sauce, and ground Sichuan pepper, then mix until evenly seasoned.
Step 3
Prepare the aromatics: mince or slice the garlic, slice the ginger, cut the onion, and roughly chop the fermented black beans if they are large.
Step 4
Halve the bitter melon, remove the seeds and white pith, slice it, then blanch briefly in boiling water and drain well.
Step 5
Preheat a wok, add oil, and stir-fry the pork slices until they change color and are mostly cooked through.
Step 6
Add the garlic, ginger, onion, and fermented black beans. Stir-fry for a short time until the aromatics smell fragrant.
Step 7
Add the drained bitter melon and stir-fry with the pork and aromatics until the slices are hot and tender-crisp.
Step 8
Season with the remaining salt, light soy sauce, and sugar. Toss well, drizzle with Sichuan pepper oil, and serve hot.
Cooking Tips
- Remove both the seeds and the soft white pith from the bitter melon; the pith carries much of the harsh bitterness.
- Blanch the bitter melon only briefly, then drain it well so the stir-fry does not turn watery.
- If you skip blanching, stir-fry the pork first, remove it from the wok, cook the bitter melon until nearly tender, then return the pork at the end.
- Fermented black beans are salty and savory, so adjust the final salt after tasting if your brand is especially strong.
- Keep the wok moving after the bitter melon is added. The best texture is tender-crisp, not limp or mushy.
- Sichuan pepper oil is added at the end so its citrusy, numbing aroma stays noticeable.
- Remove the seeds and pale pith from the bitter melon before slicing; the pith can make the dish taste more aggressively bitter.
- Blanch bitter melon briefly, then drain it well so the stir-fry does not become watery.
- Cook the pork first and avoid overcooking it; add the bitter melon back near the end.
- Fermented black beans, garlic, and a small amount of sugar help balance the bitterness.
- Use Sichuan pepper oil at the end for aroma rather than cooking it for a long time.
Substitutions
- Bitter gourd is the same ingredient as bitter melon in most English recipes.
- If fermented black beans are unavailable, use a small amount of black bean garlic sauce and reduce extra salt.
- Chicken or beef can replace pork, but the cooking time and texture will change.
Storage
Store leftover bitter melon pork stir-fry in a covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat quickly in a pan or microwave and avoid cooking it too long, or the bitter melon may soften.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve it with steamed rice when you want a simple Chinese home-cooked meal.
- Use it as a small side dish with congee, noodles, dumplings, or a rich braised main.
- A small portion can brighten heavier dishes because the sour, salty flavor cuts through richness.
FAQ
Is bitter gourd pork stir-fry the same as bitter melon with pork?
Yes. Bitter melon and bitter gourd usually refer to the same vegetable, so bitter gourd pork stir-fry and bitter melon with pork describe the same style of Chinese home-cooked dish.
How do you reduce the bitterness of bitter melon?
Slice the bitter melon, remove the seeds and white pith, then blanch it briefly in boiling water. This softens the bitterness while keeping the vegetable bright and tender-crisp.
What pork cut works best for bitter melon stir-fry?
Thinly sliced lean pork is closest to this home-style version, but pork shoulder or a little pork belly can also work. Slice the pork evenly so it cooks quickly before the bitter melon softens too much.
Why use fermented black beans with bitter melon?
Fermented black beans add salty, savory depth that balances the clean bitterness of bitter melon. Garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and a little sugar help round out the stir-fry.
What do you serve with bitter melon pork stir-fry?
Serve it hot with steamed rice. The savory pork and black bean sauce pair well with plain rice and a light soup or another simple vegetable dish.
Is bitter melon the same as bitter gourd?
Yes. Bitter melon and bitter gourd usually refer to the same vegetable. This recipe uses the term bitter melon because that is the more common search phrase in English.
Do you need to blanch bitter melon before stir-frying?
Blanching is helpful because it softens the bitter melon slightly and can reduce some harsh bitterness. Keep the blanch brief so the slices stay crisp-tender.
How do you make bitter melon less bitter?
Remove the seeds and white pith, slice the bitter melon evenly, and blanch it briefly before stir-frying. A little sugar and fermented black bean flavor can also balance the bitterness.
What cut of pork works for bitter melon pork stir-fry?
Thinly sliced lean pork or pork shoulder works well. Slice across the grain and avoid overcooking so the pork stays tender.
What does bitter melon pork taste like?
It tastes savory, lightly bitter, aromatic, and a little numbing if Sichuan pepper oil is used. The pork adds richness while bitter melon keeps the dish fresh.
Recipe Card
This bitter melon pork recipe is a Chinese stir-fry made with sliced pork, bitter melon, garlic, ginger, fermented black beans, light soy sauce, and Sichuan pepper oil. Bitter melon is also called bitter gourd, so the same dish may be searched as bitter gourd and pork stir-fry. The key is to blanch the bitter melon briefly, stir-fry the pork until just cooked, then combine everything quickly so the pork stays tender and the bitter melon keeps a crisp-tender bite.
Ingredients
- 2 pieces Bitter Melon
- 100 g thinly sliced Pork
- 5 g Fermented Black Beans
- Several cloves, divided Garlic
- 1 small piece Ginger
- 1 small piece Onion
- 4 g Salt
- 10 g Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Ground Sichuan Pepper
- 5 g Sichuan Pepper Oil
- 5 g Sugar
Method
- Gather the bitter melon, pork, garlic, ginger, onion, fermented black beans, and seasonings.
- Slice the pork thinly. Add part of the salt, light soy sauce, and ground Sichuan pepper, then mix until evenly seasoned.
- Prepare the aromatics: mince or slice the garlic, slice the ginger, cut the onion, and roughly chop the fermented black beans if they are large.
- Halve the bitter melon, remove the seeds and white pith, slice it, then blanch briefly in boiling water and drain well.
- Preheat a wok, add oil, and stir-fry the pork slices until they change color and are mostly cooked through.
- Add the garlic, ginger, onion, and fermented black beans. Stir-fry for a short time until the aromatics smell fragrant.
- Add the drained bitter melon and stir-fry with the pork and aromatics until the slices are hot and tender-crisp.
- Season with the remaining salt, light soy sauce, and sugar. Toss well, drizzle with Sichuan pepper oil, and serve hot.
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