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Bitter Gourd Soup
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Bittergourd with pork ribs (苦瓜排骨汤) is one of my favourite home cooked Chinese soups. And it is really healthy. Just like watercress soup, bitter gourd (bitter melon) has cooling properties (among a host of other health benefits), which helps our body combat the hot weather.
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I’ve always love bitter taste more than sweet, but for those who do not like bitter gourd, don’t let the soup scare you – because it actually tastes quite sweet. The pork ribs, carrots and red dates lend their sweetness to balance the bitterness. I think those who do not like to eat bitter gourd have a better chance of accepting this soup than the classic bitter gourd with egg stir fry. Adjust the sweetness of the soup by adding more or less honey red dates. To me, however, a delicious bowl of bitter gourd soup must still taste slightly bitter, therefore I do not overpower the soup with too many honey red dates. I also like to buy the most bitter bitter gourd I can find (the dark green ones are usually more bitter) when making this soup.
Great idea, very hot here in Switzerland, need something to cool down. I can buy bitter melon here and the other ingredients I have them at home : ) Have to add this to my shopping list.
I’ve actually never had bitter gourd. It looks so pretty all sliced up, almost like little flower petals. This looks like a delicious soup!
Wow, adding the sweet dates and wolfberries to the soup would help to neutralise some of the bitter taste, what a great idea! :up:
It took me almost my entire childhood and early adolescence to acquire that bitter taste of the melon. I’m glad I did; otherwise, I’d be missing such goodness in life! I’ve seen people boiling bitter gourd soup to drink. I myself haven’t tried it. Usually, I’d just eat mine by making dishes e.g. 苦瓜燜排骨/雞, 苦瓜煎蛋. Yours looks wholesome!
苦瓜燜排骨 is something I wanna try next, hehe …
hmm.. I don’t remember having bitter gourd soup!I have to try this next time.
This is certainly new to me. I didn’t know we can use bitter gourd to boil soup.
I’ve never cooked with bitter gourd, but balancing the flavor with sweet dates sounds so interesting. I need to try this!
And yet another intriguing dish from you! :XO: It sounds and looks like it would be tasty, I’d love to try it sometime!
Gorgeous photography as always. :-)
i prefer bitterness than sweetness too. My papa have a another recipe for the bittergourd soup where the bittergourd is stuffed with fish meat. =)
something like yong tau foo? I like!
Hello Wiffy! thanks for another Great recipe! Gonna try it in the next few days! One question : Where did u buy your honey red dates? I dont see them in the supernarkets – just the usual ones. Did u get yours at the chinese medicinal halls?
One other question – also tried your green bean recipe – why do u recommend soaking green beans overnight? I did and it spouted! hahaha… goes to show how old those beans were!!
Thanks again!
Hi samantha, yes I got my honey red dates from Chinese medicinal hall, namely Fu Hua.
omg the green beans sprouted, must have soaked too long hehe… maybe next time you soak for a few hours instead of overnight. here is a pretty good comprehensive article on the reasons for soaking.
thanks! The article is very helpful – u r ZE BEST!!!!!