Canh Khổ Qua

Vietnamese stuffed bitter melon soup.

• For the filling:
  • Ground pork
  • Bean thread noodles and wood ear fungus, soaked and roughly chopped
  • Salt, pepper, sugar, fish sauce
  • Optional: diced onion/shallot, carrot, garlic, chicken powder or MSG, etc.
• Bitter melon
• Pork/chicken stock or water
• Garnish: Cilantro or green onions

Combine the ingredients for the filling and mix well (meat should be somewhat bouncy when cooked). Cook a small piece to taste and adjust filling.

Cut a seam down the length of the bitter melon and scoop out the seeds. Stuff with filling.

In a pot, cover the stuffed gourds with stock or water. Simmer for upwards of half an hour until tender, flipping halfway through. Season the broth to taste with salt, pepper, (rock) sugar, fish sauce, and/or chicken powder.

Cut the gourd into segments and serve with the broth.

Less Bitter: Blanch the bitter melon before filling, and/or add additional sugar/water.