Bitter Melon and Eggs Stir Fry

5 from 7 votes

Bitter Melon and Eggs Stir Fry

Bitter Melon and Eggs Stir Fry is easy for any time! This is a no-fuss recipe to get soft, fluffy egg curds and a healthy serving of greens.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Cantonese, Chinese, Vietnamese

Servings:

Calories: 169kcal

Author: Jeannette

Equipment

Spatula

Ingredients

2 bitter melon
6 eggs
2 tbsp oyster sauce (or a vegetarian substitute)
2 tbsp light soy sauce (or to taste)
2 tsp vegetable stock powder (1 tsp for the bitter melon and 2 for the eggs; can use chicken bouillon powder instead)
4 tbsp oil (half for cooking eggs and half for bitter melon)
1 1/2 tsp honey (or to taste)
1 tbsp vegan fish sauce (for the eggs; can use regular fish sauce)

Instructions

Cut off the tips on both ends of the bitter melons and slice them along their length to halve each one. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and hollow them out.
Slice the bitter melons thinly, roughly 5mm (0.2") thick, then marinate with the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey and 1 tsp vegetable stock powder. Let it rest as you work on the other ingredients.
Note: If you prefer it less bitter, Mum suggests scrubbing the slices in 1 tbsp salt before marinating. Squeeze and scrub for 1 minute to release some of the bitter liquid, then wash and wring dry.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the fish sauce and remaining vegetable stock powder until well combined.
Heat up the pan or wok on high heat and pour half the oil in. When hot, gently add the eggs to cook. Turn the heat to low-medium and use a spatula to pull the cooked sides in slowly without scrambling it.
As soon as it's 80% cooked, transfer it onto a plate.
Note: Some families prefer to cook the egg and bitter melon slices together so they bind a little more.
If that's what you prefer, then let the eggs cook until they're just starting to form curds before adding the bitter melons in on high heat. Stir everything together and let the eggs scramble as they cook around each slice, then plate when it reaches your desired consistency.
If you like the bitter melon and egg separate, then turn the heat up to high and pour the remaining oil in. Add the marinated slices and cook for 3 minutes or until just starting to soften.
Pour the eggs back in and gently break them apart using a spatula. Mix for another 2 minutes before plating the dish.
Serve immediately with fresh rice!

Video

Notes

Avoid over-cooking the eggs. This will make them taste rubbery instead of light and fluffy.
Don't slice the bitter melons too thinly. When you do so, it softens much faster and will lose its texture over high heat.
Stir the ingredients quickly in the pan or wok. Since we use honey as a sweetener, it can burn if left still for too long, so make sure to keep everything moving to prevent it from sticking.
I made this version vegetarian for Mum by using vegetable stock powder, a vegetarian substitute for oyster sauce and a vegan fish sauce. Otherwise, you can replace the vegetable stock powder with chicken bouillon powder and the sauces with the non-vegetarian options.

Nutrition