Chinese Recipes

Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon

Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon is a classic Chinese home-style dish featuring tender bitter melon rings filled with a savory mixture of pork, shrimp, and wood ear mushrooms. Steaming keeps the filling juicy while preserving the vegetable's natural flavor, and a light savory sauce adds extra richness without overpowering the dish.

Total
30 minutes
Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon finished dish
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Quick Recipe Summary

Cuisine
Chinese
Category
Chinese Recipes
Method
Steaming
Total Time
30 minutes
Difficulty
Medium
Main Ingredient
Bitter Melon

About This Recipe

Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon is a classic Chinese home-style dish featuring tender bitter melon rings filled with a savory mixture of pork, shrimp, and wood ear mushrooms. Steaming keeps the filling juicy while preserving the vegetable's natural flavor, and a light savory sauce adds extra richness without overpowering the dish.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Ready in about 30 minutes, so it can fit into a busy cooking day.
  • Breaks the method into manageable steps instead of assuming you already know the technique.
  • Uses gentle steaming, which makes the cooking process easier to control.
  • 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

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.

Ground Pork

Pork brings savory depth and works well with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and vegetables.

Shrimp

This ingredient helps define the flavor, texture, or structure of the dish.

Wood Ear Mushrooms

This ingredient helps define the flavor, texture, or structure of the dish.

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

Shaoxing Wine

Chinese cooking wine used in marinades, stir-fries, braises, and sauces.

Sauce

Light Soy Sauce

The everyday soy sauce for salt, umami, marinades, and stir-fry seasoning.

Ingredient

Wood Ear Mushroom

A crunchy mushroom used in salads, soups, hot pot, and stir-fries.

Ingredient

Bitter Melon

A bitter gourd used in stir-fries, soups, and cooling home-style dishes.

Technique

Velveting

A Chinese technique for keeping sliced meat, chicken, shrimp, and beef tender.

Technique

How to Steam Chinese Food

Understand Chinese steaming for fish, eggs, tofu, buns, and vegetables.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Step 1

    Prepare and wash all ingredients.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 1: Prepare and wash all ingredients.

  2. Step 2

    Finely chop the soaked wood ear mushrooms.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 2: Finely chop the soaked wood ear mushrooms.

  3. Step 3

    Finely chop the shrimp and set aside.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 3: Finely chop the shrimp and set aside.

  4. Step 4

    Beat the egg until smooth.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 4: Beat the egg until smooth.

  5. Step 5

    Season the ground pork with salt. Gradually add a small amount of water while stirring until the mixture becomes sticky. Add Shaoxing wine and soy sauce, then mix well.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 5: Season the ground pork with salt. Gradually add a small amount of water while st

  6. Step 6

    Add minced ginger, five-spice powder, chopped wood ear mushrooms, minced shrimp, beaten egg, and cornstarch. Stir until evenly combined.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 6: Add minced ginger, five-spice powder, chopped wood ear mushrooms, minced shrimp,

  7. Step 7

    Cut the bitter melon into thick rings.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 7: Cut the bitter melon into thick rings.

  8. Step 8

    Remove the seeds and inner white membrane using a small spoon.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 8: Remove the seeds and inner white membrane using a small spoon.

  9. Step 9

    Fill each bitter melon ring with the prepared meat mixture.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 9: Fill each bitter melon ring with the prepared meat mixture.

  10. Step 10

    Arrange the stuffed bitter melon pieces in a steamer.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 10: Arrange the stuffed bitter melon pieces in a steamer.

  11. Step 11

    Steam over boiling water for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 11: Steam over boiling water for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate.

  12. Step 12

    Pour the steaming juices into a small saucepan and add a little soy sauce.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 12: Pour the steaming juices into a small saucepan and add a little soy sauce.

  13. Step 13

    Mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry, then stir it into the saucepan and cook until lightly thickened.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 13: Mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry, then stir it into the saucepan and

  14. Step 14

    Drizzle the sauce over the steamed bitter melon and serve immediately.

    Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon step 14: Drizzle the sauce over the steamed bitter melon and serve immediately.

Cooking Tips

  • Remove as much of the inner white membrane as possible to reduce bitterness. Save the flavorful juices released during steaming and use them to make the finishing sauce. For a smoother texture, stir the pork mixture in one direction until it becomes sticky before stuffing.

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve it with steamed rice when you want a simple Chinese home-cooked meal.
  • Serve with a stronger stir-fry, braised dish, or dipping sauce to balance the gentle texture.
  • Steamed dishes are best when served hot, before condensation softens the surface.

Recipe Card

Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon is a classic Chinese home-style dish featuring tender bitter melon rings filled with a savory mixture of pork, shrimp, and wood ear mushrooms. Steaming keeps the filling juicy while preserving the vegetable's natural flavor, and a light savory sauce adds extra richness without overpowering the dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 piece Bitter Melon
  • 200 grams Ground Pork
  • 40 grams Shrimp
  • 1 piece Wood Ear Mushrooms
  • 1 Egg
  • 10 grams Soy Sauce
  • 5 grams Shaoxing Wine
  • 1 gram Five-Spice Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Minced Ginger
  • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
  • To taste Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil

Method

  1. Prepare and wash all ingredients.
  2. Finely chop the soaked wood ear mushrooms.
  3. Finely chop the shrimp and set aside.
  4. Beat the egg until smooth.
  5. Season the ground pork with salt. Gradually add a small amount of water while stirring until the mixture becomes sticky. Add Shaoxing wine and soy sauce, then mix well.
  6. Add minced ginger, five-spice powder, chopped wood ear mushrooms, minced shrimp, beaten egg, and cornstarch. Stir until evenly combined.
  7. Cut the bitter melon into thick rings.
  8. Remove the seeds and inner white membrane using a small spoon.
  9. Fill each bitter melon ring with the prepared meat mixture.
  10. Arrange the stuffed bitter melon pieces in a steamer.
  11. Steam over boiling water for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate.
  12. Pour the steaming juices into a small saucepan and add a little soy sauce.
  13. Mix cornstarch with water to create a slurry, then stir it into the saucepan and cook until lightly thickened.
  14. Drizzle the sauce over the steamed bitter melon and serve immediately.

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