Home Cooking with Foodland: Bitter Melon and Pork with Black Beans and Chinese Chicken Salad

Join Chef Keoni in his home kitchen as he demonstrates how to make Bitter Melon and Pork with Black Beans and Chinese Chicken Salad.

Ingredients and Instructions (Serves 4):

Stir Fried Bitter Melon and Pork with Chinese Black Beans

Ingredients:
• 1 large bitter melon (about 9” long)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoon vegetable oil (for cooking)
• 6 thinly sliced ginger slices
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon shoyu
• 2 tablespoons water or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons dried fermented black beans, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

Instructions:
1. Slice open the bitter melon lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and ribs with a large spoon; discard insides. Slice melon crosswise into ¼-inch thick slices.
2. Place slices in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, massage the salt into the melon. Set aside for 15 minutes. Before cooking, squeeze as much of the water out of the melon slices; no need to rinse.
3. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to thinly coat the bottom of the skillet (add more if needed). When oil shimmers, add remaining 3 slices of ginger and sauté for about 30 seconds, then add the ground pork, spreading it out in a single layer.
4. Cook without stirring for 1-2 minutes, then stir and fry the pork for another 1-2 minutes. Remove cooked pork from skillet.
5. Combine the cornstarch, shoyu and stock and mix. Reserve.
6. Return skillet to heat and add remaining vegetable oil. Add the squeezed bitter melon and stir fry until the melon is soft about 1-2 minutes. Add back in the cooked ground pork. Add in the black beans and garlic and stir. Add in the sugar, pepper, rice wine to the skillet and stir. Thicken with the cornstarch and chicken stock mixture.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
• 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 2 stalks celery, finely sliced on a bias
• 1/2 carrot, julienned
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 cups shredded leftover huli chicken
• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 cucumber, cut in half, seeded and sliced on a bias
• Chinese parsley, as needed
• 1 cup fried wonton strips
• Shoyu Mustard, as needed

Instruction:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuce, celery and carrots. Season with salt and sesame oil. Toss.
2. Place in a serving bowl or platter.
3. Neatly arrange chicken over the salad, garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, cucumber, Chinese parsley and wonton strips.
4. Serve with a mixture of Chinese mustard mixed with Shoyu on the side.

Note: Directions are meant as a general guide. Chef Keoni may improvise slightly during class.