Ginisang Ampalaya: Sauteed Bitter Melon

Although Filipinos may be known for having a powerful predilection to all things porcine--what with our current standing atop the now famous "Hierarchy of Pork"--we do like to mix in a few vegetables here and there when we can. And of course, with the Philippines' geographical make-up (it's like, a billion islands), seafood plays a tremendous role in our diet as well.

So with it being Lenten Season and all (and because I get loads of emails asking for vegetarian recipes), I figured there was no better time than now to begin exploring a few Filipino dishes that showcase veggies and/or seafood. Don't hold me to that though, as I'm sure I'll break down one of these weeks and devour a unicorn on a Friday sometime soon (which would be a mythological and religious double-whammy that would surely save me a place in Hades and/or hell).

Anyhizzle, I can't talk shop about Filipino vegetables without first mentioning my most favorite Pinoy veggie of them all: Ampalaya (AKA bitter melon).

True to its name, the bitter melon is indeed, very bitter. It's so bitter, that many a hardcore Filipino food lover will shy away from the green gourd as if it were a piece of planet Krypton.

In fact, there are those who go to great lengths to de-bitter a bitter melon by soaking the vegetable in various brines, rubbing it with salt, or dipping it in crumbled cookies (I made that last one up). But not me. I love the stuff in all its bitter glory. I can't get enough ampalaya! While it is true that ampalaya is an acquired taste, I do believe that there is a certain sweetness to the vegetable once that first rush of bitterness hits your palate.

While I've featured a couple of recipes that had ampalaya in a supporting role before (pinakbet and quiche), I wanted to highlight a dish in which ampalaya was the star--enter Ginisang Ampalaya.

Ginisang Ampalaya is quite simply bitter melon sauteed with some onions, garlic, and tomatoes, with some scrambled eggs thrown in at the last minute. Ginisang Ampalaya can also include shrimp, or even nummy pieces of pork belly. But for the sake of this post, I'll stick to the basics.

To start, cut a bitter melon in half lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds and pithy white membrane with a spoon, grapefruit spoon, or melon baller. Once the seeds are scraped out, cut the ampalaya into little half-moon shapes.

Bitter Melon Breakdown

Once the ampalaya is properly prepped, throw it into a skillet with some onions and garlic, add some tomatoes, season with some fish sauce (patis) and pepper, then toss in a couple of beaten eggs.

More veggies than egg

After a couple of spatula turns of the pan, and the eggs are cooked to your liking, voila, Ginisang Ampalaya.

Now while the finished product may look like a hot mess on the plate, it's a tasty hot mess. The bitterness of the ampalaya is tamed just a bit after cooking, and is also balanced by the sweetness of the onions and the sweet acidity of the tomatoes. It's a vegetable dish I can eat anytime, or on particular Fridays when I happen to remember I shouldn't be eating mythical beasts.

Ginisang Ampalaya: Sauteed Bitter Melon

Serves 3-4

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large bitter melon (8-10 inches in length), seeds removed and sliced into half-moons
1 half of a large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large tomato, diced
1 teaspoon salt
Patis (fish sauce), to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the bitter melon and onions to the skillet and saute until bitter melon softens and onions become translucent, 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and salt and continue cooking until tomatoes release all their liquid and soften, about 5 minutes. If the pan becomes too dry before the vegetables cook, add a few tablespoons of water.

Add the fish sauce and pepper and taste the vegetables. Add more fish sauce as needed. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then make a space in the middle of the pan by pushing the vegetables to the sides. Pour the eggs into the middle of the pan and allow to set for 1-2 minutes. Stir the eggs into the vegetables and continue cooking until eggs are scrambled to your liking.

Serve immediately.

Comments

[Leela@SheSimmers]

Ah. Another brilliant way to cook bitter melon. Thanks. :)

[Manggy]

Marvin, if you were super-hardcore you wouldn't even bother with removing the seeds, hehe :) Okay, I admit I am a super-wimp and can't take more than a few bites of ampalaya. I'm really sensitive to the bitterness (then again I don't drink coffee either). You do make it look nice, though!

[Caroline]

Tasty hot mess on a plate --Ampalaya is fierce! :)

[caninecologne]

marvin
dude, this is one of my favorite Filipino dishes! i heart ampalaya. the more bitter the better.

i'm lucky i can get it free from my parent's back yard. and my mom is hardcore - she leaves the seeds in too.

i was so excited when i saw this on the menu at sinugba in daly city. this dish is comfort food to me.

[faith]

I like ampalaya binagoongan style, with small shrimps or small pieces of pork. Yum!^__^

[Serena]

mmm this looks delicious :) i used to eat this a lot back in manila...

[joey]

I was one of those who would shy away from ampalaya...my husband loves it though so I learned to make this exact dish :) Now I love it! I am a sissy though and do a multi-step de-bittering process!

[bagito]

Ampalaya! YES!!! My favorite veggie, just like you. In fact, I was planning on cooking it tomorrow (Friday). I even have hubby trained now, I used to have to "debitterize" it for him but got him trained now so no more brining pre-cooking. I cook it just the way you make it, except I add ground chicken or turkey but I suppose I can do meatless for Lent. Also, I just got an email about ampalaya today that not only is it good for diabetics but may also be good for breast cancer as well. Hooray for the humble, wrinkled, bitter ampalaya!!!

[thea]

you made it looks so pretty!

[graziella]

ang sarap naman! this is a fave dish of mine too.makes me so hungry right now. And about ampalaya, we just had it the other day. My mom made chicken tinola with ampalaya and mushroom. Hooray for ampalaya!

[tigerfish]

I like bitter melon. Thanks for sharing. At least, this is a new recipe for me.

[Mike]

I don't eat ampalaya that often, but whenever it's served i always get some. Raw ampalaya made into atchara is pretty good, it'll make a nice side dish for fried/grilled fish... and mythical beasts too.

[Gaby]

Dear BurtnLumpia, your sauteed bitter melon looks and sounds fantastic. I have never tried bitter melon but after reading about how powerful it is and how many stay away from it, I simply must step up to the challenge! There are some wonderful shots of the bitter mellon. Very professional and I will definitely be back to have a bite of more.
Thank you for sharing.
Cheers, Gaby
You can visit me at http://ptsaldari.posterous.com

[Diane]

I make a sort of Thai version of this - essentially the same but without the tomatoes and onion. I love, love, LOVE bitter melon. The first time I tried it, I wasn't crazy for it, but now I crave it. Mmmm, Mmmmm, good.

[Julie]

Ampalaya is addictive. I couldn't stomach it as a kid, but the older I'm getting, the more I love it. I'm trying to find seeds so I can grow it in my garden since I recently learned that it actually has a shot even in weather as hot as Phoenix's.

[Janice]

As a kid I cooked this a lot for my parents but never ate it, only if I was dared to I would. This looks good though so I might give it a shot

[A]

Honestly, any (Western) vegan/vegetarian would be very exasperated, looking for vegan/vegetarian food in the Philippines. I've had many experiences where Filipinos would serve fish or chicken, with the almost mocking question: "So you're a vegetarian? OK, then this fish/chicken would be perfect for you."

Do fish in the Philippines grow on trees? :p

[Heather]

Holy cow! That is bitter! I thought I would be able to take it since I enjoy bitter things for the most part, but this takes the cake. I actually soaked mine in salted water for a half hour and rinsed before cooking it. Also I used pork belly and small pieces of shrimp. Ended up taking it over to our filipino friends house. I guess I'm a wimp! Wowser!

[Earl]

Wow... I'm glad to know that there's another Filipino my age-ish (I assume anyway) that likes ampalaya. My mom saw something on the food network where they would salt the raw ampalaya to draw out the bitterness. I was like, "Why? That's what makes it what it is!"
/rant

[BurntLumpia]

Thanks Leela!

Manggy, when I'm being super lazy I do leave the seeds in!

Fierce indeed, Caroline!

How awesome that your mom grows her own bitter melon, caninecologne!

I also like it with pieces of pork, Faith. But I figured I'd go the vegetarian route this once.

You should eat it wherever you are now, Serena!

Despite the de-bittering process, you're still a sweetie Joey!

Sounds like you are a great trainer of husbands, bagito!

Thanks thea.

I love tinola with ampalaya too graziella! That's how my mom makes it.

No prob, tigerfish.

Ampalaya atchara? That sounds awesome mike!

Thanks Gaby.

Thais have great taste, Diane!

I'm the same Julie. The older I get, the more bitter I become;)

You should definitely give it a shot, Janice.

Not necessarily true A. There are plenty of vegetarian dishes in the Philippines. And yes, fish do grow on trees there.

Even after soaking in salt water it was bitter? Maybe you just have to eat more of it, Heather;)

Thanks for visiting, Earl.

[Marie]

my fave dish for breakfast

[Ampy]

I love ampalaya! In fact, I just became a fan on Facebook!

[Su-sieee! Mac]

Yum. You call it ampalaya, I call it paria. Yum. The bitterer, the better. My favorite dish is chicken and paria. I've never had it with eggs. Must try...Just discovered your blog. I'm looking forward to exploring it. Love the name--"Burnt Lumpia." That's why my elderly mom "races" me to the fry pan when it comes to frying 'em up.

[Oxy]

You are amazing! I love you this style!

[Arcee dela rosa]

This dish is my all-time favorite veggie dish. So yummy and healthy. ♣

[gabriela]

Good luck ,Great post,y love you!Thanks for the info it had cleared out too many things in my mind. Your recommendations are really good.
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