cantonesestir-frybitter-melonporkweeknightclassic

Ku Gua Chao Rou

Name: Ku Gua Chao Rou
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 300 g bitter melon; 180 g pork loin, thinly sliced; 15 ml neutral oil; 10 g garlic, finely chopped; 10 g red chili, thinly sliced; 12 g fermented black beans, lightly rinsed and roughly chopped; 15 ml light soy sauce; 15 ml oyster sauce; 10 ml Shaoxing wine; 3 g sugar; 1 g white pepper; 30 ml water; 4 g cornstarch

Ku Gua Chao Rou is a fast, deeply savory stir-fry of tender pork and crisp-tender bitter melon in a glossy black bean sauce. The finished dish is fragrant with garlic, lightly spicy from chili, and balanced by the distinctive bittersweet character of the melon.

15 min

2 servings

277 kcal

Chinese

Ingredients

Pork and bitter melon

300 gbitter melon
180 gpork loin, thinly sliced
15 mlneutral oil
10 ggarlic, finely chopped
10 gred chili, thinly sliced

Seasoning sauce

12 gfermented black beans, lightly rinsed and roughly chopped
15 mllight soy sauce
15 mloyster sauce
10 mlShaoxing wine
3 gsugar
1 gwhite pepper
30 mlwater
4 gcornstarch

Instructions

1
Slice the bitter melon in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and white pith with a spoon, then cut into 4 mm thick half-moons. Thinly slice the pork if not already sliced, chop the garlic, and slice the chili. For less bitterness, keep the slices thin and remove as much white pith as possible.
2
In a small bowl, mix the fermented black beans, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, white pepper, water, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Keeping the sauce ready before stir-frying is important because the cooking moves very fast.
3
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until very hot. Add the neutral oil, swirl, then add the pork in one layer. Stir-fry for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until the slices are mostly cooked and just beginning to brown at the edges.
4
Add the garlic, chili, and bitter melon. Stir-fry over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing constantly, until the bitter melon turns vivid green and is just tender but still slightly crisp. If the pan looks dry, keep the ingredients moving rather than lowering the heat.
5
Stir the sauce again, pour it around the edge of the wok, and toss for 30 to 60 seconds until it bubbles, lightly thickens, and coats the pork and bitter melon. The pork should be fully cooked through and the bitter melon should be tender-crisp, not soft.
6
Serve immediately while hot, with steamed rice if you like. This dish is best eaten straight from the wok, when the bitter melon still has a fresh bite and the sauce is glossy.

Nutrition per serving

277 kcal

Calories

24g

Protein

11g

Carbs

15g

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•If you are very sensitive to bitterness, slice the bitter melon and toss it with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes, then squeeze dry before cooking; this adds time but softens the bitter edge.
•Pork loin is quick and beginner-friendly, but thinly sliced pork shoulder also works and gives a slightly richer result.
•A very hot pan is the key to keeping the bitter melon green and preventing the pork from stewing.
•Serve with plain steamed jasmine rice to balance the salty, savory sauce.

Background

Bitter melon stir-fries are a classic part of Cantonese home cooking, where the vegetable's pleasant bitterness is valued rather than hidden. Pairing it with pork and fermented black beans is especially traditional, combining fresh bitterness with deep savory umami from pantry staples common in southern Chinese kitchens.

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