Chinese Salted Egg Bitter Gourd

Ingredients

• 1 (400 g)bitter gourd
• 3 tbspvegetable oil
• 1 tbspchopped garlic
• 1/2 tspchicken stock granules
• 1 stalkspring onion, cut into 2 cm lengths
• 2salted duck egg yolks, steamed and mashed
• 1 tspsugar
• 1/8 tspwhite pepper
• 60 ml (1/4 cup)hot water

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare ingredients

   Get all the ingredients ready before you start cooking.

2. 2

   Halve the gourd

   Cut the bitter gourd in half lengthways.

3. 3

   Remove the seeds

   Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds, membranes and pith, leaving only a thin layer of white flesh next to the green skin.

4. 4

   Slice the gourd

   Cut the bitter gourd into slices 3 mm thick.

5. 5

   Rub with salt

   Rub salt over the slices.

6. 6

   Rinse the slices

   Rinse the bitter gourd with water to remove the salt and reduce its bitterness.

7. 7

   Set up steamer

   Put the salted duck egg yolks in a steamer.

8. 8

   Steam the yolks

   Steam the egg yolks until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

9. 9

   Mash the yolks

   Mash the cooked yolks with a fork. They are now ready to use in the stir-fry.

10. 10

    Heat the wok

    Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok.

11. 11

    Add the gourd

    Add the bitter gourd and chicken stock granules.

12. 12

    Stir-fry briefly

    Stir-fry for about 2 minutes.

13. 13

    Set aside

    Transfer the bitter gourd out of the wok and set it aside.

14. 14

    Heat remaining oil

    In the same wok, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.

15. 15

    Cook aromatics

    Add the chopped garlic and spring onion, then sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

16. 16

    Fry the yolks

    Add the mashed salted egg yolks and stir-fry until aromatic.

17. 17

    Return the gourd

    Add the fried bitter gourd back to the wok.

18. 18

    Season the dish

    Add the white pepper and sugar.

19. 19

    Add hot water

    Pour in the hot water.

20. 20

    Cover and cook

    Cover the wok and cook over medium heat.

21. 21

    Finish the stir-fry

    Cook until the water has dried up and the bitter gourd is soft. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

22. 22

    Serve hot

    Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot with steamed rice or porridge.

What is Chinese salted egg bitter gourd?

This is a Chinese-style stir-fry pairing bitter gourd, also known as bitter melon, with salted duck egg yolks. Salted eggs are used in many Chinese dishes to bring a savoury, deeply seasoned flavour to otherwise simple ingredients.

Here, the gourd is briefly stir-fried before being coated with mashed yolk, garlic and spring onion. The rich yolks balance the gourd’s characteristic bitterness without disguising its fresh, vegetal taste completely.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 145 calories, 4g protein, 6g carbs, 13g fat.

The bitter gourd contributes most of the carbohydrate, while the vegetable oil and salted egg yolks provide most of the fat; the yolks also supply most of the protein. Serve a portion with rice or porridge and a fresh vegetable side for a more rounded plate.

Preparing the bitter gourd

Remove the seeds, membranes and most of the pith before slicing. Leaving a thin layer of white flesh beside the skin gives the slices substance while reducing some of the harsher bitterness.

Salt rinse: the recipe rubs salt onto the slices and then rinses them. Drain them well after rinsing so that excess water does not dilute the seasoning in the wok.

Steaming and mashing the yolks

Steam the salted duck egg yolks for about 5 minutes, until cooked through, then mash them with a fork. Breaking them up makes it easier for the yolks to mix through the gourd.

Aromatic yolks: stir-fry the mash until it smells savoury and fragrant before returning the bitter gourd to the wok. Keep it moving so it heats evenly.

Stir-frying in stages

Cook the bitter gourd with the stock granules for about 2 minutes, then lift it out while you prepare the aromatics. This separates the initial cooking from the final seasoning and helps the garlic and spring onion become fragrant without overcooking the gourd.

After adding the hot water, cover the wok and cook over medium heat. The dish is ready when the water has evaporated and the bitter gourd is soft.

Balancing the seasoning

Salted egg yolks and chicken stock granules both contribute savoury seasoning, so taste the finished dish before adding anything further. The sugar and white pepper round out the flavour rather than making the stir-fry sweet or spicy.

The method mentions rubbing the gourd with salt but gives no quantity. Use only enough to coat it, then rinse it thoroughly before cooking.

Serving the dish

Serve the stir-fry hot with steamed rice, as the recipe suggests, or alongside plain porridge. Both make a mild base for the rich salted yolk and the gourd’s distinctive flavour.

For a fuller meal, pair it with another protein dish and a simple, non-salty vegetable side. Keep in mind that the egg yolks and stock granules already bring plenty of savoury character.

Recipe notes & tips

• Prepare and slice the bitter gourd before heating the wok so the stir-fry can move quickly.
• Cut the slices to a consistent 3 mm thickness so they cook at a similar rate.
• Rinse the salted gourd well and drain it before frying.
• Mash the steamed yolks thoroughly so they coat the slices more evenly.
• Keep the wok over medium heat for the covered finishing stage and check for softness as the water evaporates.
• Taste before adding extra seasoning because both the yolks and stock granules are savoury.

Variations

• Add chilli: stir-fry sliced chilli with the garlic and spring onion for extra heat.
• Use a different oil: choose a neutral vegetable oil that can handle wok cooking.
• Add more spring onion: increase the spring onion for a fresher, more pronounced onion flavour.
• Adjust the texture: cook for less time after covering if you prefer the bitter gourd firmer.
• Serve with porridge: pair the dish with plain porridge for a softer, milder meal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving too much pith: scrape out the membranes and most of the pith, keeping only a thin layer of white flesh by the skin.
• Skipping the rinse: rinse the salted slices before cooking so excess salt does not carry into the finished dish.
• Crowding the cooking stages: lift out the gourd after its first 2-minute stir-fry, then return it when the yolks are aromatic.
• Burning the garlic: sauté it with the spring onion only until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Adding too much seasoning: taste the finished dish before adjusting because the yolks and stock granules are already savoury.
• Stopping while the gourd is firm: cook covered until the water dries up and the slices have softened.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat until piping hot, adding a small splash of water if the dish seems dry.

Frequently asked questions