Tuesday 30 July 2013

Sweet Bitter Gourd Porridge (Meatless Recipe)

Have you ever heard or tried cooking porridge with bitter gourd? Sounds weird, isn't it? This dish is the result of my 'spur of the moment' recipe. I wasn't feeling well and wanted to eat something simple and refreshing and yet feeling lazy to do all the preparation, cooking, washing, mopping, etc. Then I realized that my homemade salted duck eggs are due for 'harvest' (exactly 21 days) and I was so excited to try it. Ahaa... let's have plain porridge with salted eggs... but...I doubt my children would like it just with salted eggs! So, while 'ransacking' my fridge, I found 1 miserable bitter gourd which had ripened! BUT... I don't want to do any frying..... So, my weird idea and 'lazy mode' is the result of this porridge. Guess what???? Surprisingly, it's quite delicious and not bitter at all but slightly sweet due to the Chinese Wolfberries (and the bitter gourd was fully ripened!) So, if you are curious how you are going to react to this weird porridge, just give this a try.
Get a ripe bitter gourd if you don't like the bitter taste.

Ingredients :
- 1.5 cup rice (I used brown rice)
- 1 bitter gourd - use a spoon to discard the seeds (washed and sliced thinly)
- 2 tbsp fresh wood ear mushroom (washed and sliced thinly) - you can use dried ones
- 1 tbsp Chinese Wolfberries (washed)
- 1 tbsp shredded ginger

Seasonings : (to taste)
- salt
- soy sauce
- miso
- sesame oil

Method :
1)  Wash rice and add water accordingly; as to your usual porridge requirement.  Cook porridge at medium high heat. 
2)  When the porridge is semi-cooked, add bitter gourd and wood ear.  I added hot water as my measurement of water was not accurate.  Cover.
3)  Let it boil for about 5 minutes and lower the heat to medium low. Add shredded ginger and slow cook for about 1/2 hour or until the porridge is ready.

4)  Add the Chinese Wolfberries and salt to taste.  Stir and mix well.  Turn off the heat.  Cover and let it stand for about 20 to 30 minutes before it's ready to be served.
Season it with soy sauce and some sesame oil.  Have it with homemade salted duck eggs.
Or if you don't like salted egg, then what about some miso?  It's yummy too :)

Or, like me, have it both; miso and homemade salted duck eggs and seasoned with a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil. You must be wondering how 'salty' am I!!! Well, NO, just nice as I added a bit of everything!
Do give this porridge a try if you DARE to be different! hahahaha...


I'm linking this post to Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Alvin of Chef and Sommelier.

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29 comments:

  1. Unusual ingredient for porridge but this look delicious.

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    1. Yes Doris, unusual and weird but yummy, hahaha....

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  2. Hi Ivy,
    I have never tried bitter gourd in porridge before! My hubby loves it in noodle soups, and we love bitter gourd in our house, except the daughter! Great idea to use it in porridge!

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    1. Joyce, this is also my first time having bitter gourd in porridge. Give this a try. Add more kei chi if the bitter gourd is very bitter.

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  3. Porridge with salted egg is my fav but I have never tried with bitter gourd. The outcome is really inviting. I should try the next I feel like eating porridge. Hope you are feeling better now and take care.

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    1. ivy sew http://simplybeautifulhealthyliving.blogspot.com31 July 2013 at 10:38

      Thanks Nava! Having a hot pipping refreshing bitter gourd porridge really makes one feel better :) This porridge is also good for a meatless and one pot meal.

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  4. Nice, Ivy! I'm curious how you make salted eggs! :D

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    1. Hi Alvin, will do a post on homemade salted eggs soon. Stay tuned.... :)

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  5. Sounds comforting. Porridge is my go-to dish when I'm feeling under the weather too.

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    1. Yes, I like porridge too. Just give me a plain porridge and a salted egg, and I am a happy woman!

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  6. Hi Ivy,

    I remember whenever my mum cooked bitter gourd at home, I will find excuses not to eat her cooking... maybe going to library or something... LOL! You made your bitter gourd sweet... I'm thinking if my mum uses the same method, I wouldn't need to find any excuses :D

    Zoe

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    1. Zoe, initially my girls didn't like bitter gourd too. But now they like it cos' I used to force them to eat. Always add tomatoes into it if you don't like it to be bitter. To me I feel that tomatoes take away its bitterness. I don't know how true it is but that's how I used to do it and it's not bitter. Or is it I'm immune to the bitter taste? Or choose bitter gourd which is semi-ripe and with wide and fat patterns.

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  7. Hi Ivy,
    Bitter- gourd in porridge, that is new to me. Looks good. Especially your homemade salted eggs.
    We use to use bitter gourd to cook soup. It's cooling and no bitter taste.
    Thanks for sharing this to LTU:)
    mui

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    1. Thanks Mui Mui. We like bitter gourd soup too. It's not bitter if add tomatoes into it and with lots of eggs :)

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  8. Ivy, this is a special combination for me, haha... never try to cook porridge with bitter ground. my hubby not like this and the smell of it. But sometime just cook for myselt, my two kids will eat if i buy the non bitter taste one.

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    1. Yeah Xing Hui, this is a 'weird' combination but yummy :) It's not bitter as I added kei chi into it.

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  9. Ivy, this is my first time for bitter gourd porridge! I must try it because I love bittergourd and I don't mind the bitter taste. And of course, must have that salted egg too!

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    1. Oh Yes Phong Hong, it's great with salted egg and miso. Know what? I had 1.5 salted eggs that day! Masin betul... hahahaha...

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  10. I like bittergourd but not my kids, wish I can cook this up once they grow older..

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    1. Hi Sonia, I trained my kids when they were at the age of 5 to 7. Now, they love bitter gourd just like their parents, hahaha... so you can actually start them with fried eggs with bitter gourd and add some tomatoes and prawns or bitter gourd chicken with some chinese cooking wine. It's not bitter but very flavourful.

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  11. Hi Ivy, I 'm not keen of bitter qourd too & tried real hard to eat some when my mama cooked it. Some sort of a diet day for me that day ! LOL Good to know that tomatoes goes well with bitter gourd . I'll try this method & let you know. Spotted some bitter gourds the other day at the Asian store! heheheh

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    1. Kit, yes, do let me know if you like it. Add extra chinese wolfberries and ginger.

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  12. love it...that's my next porridge project! hope you're better now!

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  13. Wow, this is innovative, Ivy, interesting combo!

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  14. Hi Ivy, look so delightful, you sure very innovative. I love bitter gourd and salted eggs too. So both of us 'very saltish' lah. hahaha...

    Have a wonderful weekend.

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    1. hahaha... Amelia. I do like salted eggs a lot! You have a nice Sunday too :)

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    http://shitifujon.blogspot.com/2013/09/wild-bitter-gourd-in-kalinga.html

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