Ok, I know i just did a post about how inedible bitter melon is, but this is actually becoming a recipe I crave. I love the way all the flavors blend together!

In Chinese medicine the flavors influence our different organ systems. Having a balance of all the five flavors brings balance to your whole system as well. Eating too much of one flavor – like sweet or salty,  can cause imbalance. Modern foods can be very heavy on sweet in particular, and I’m really enjoying the natural balanced feeling of the flavors in this recipe. Yes, the bitter is there, but mixed with the other flavors, it feels like the bitterness underneath the flavor of a well-made beer.

The bitter melon vines have been threatening to overtake my garden these days! Worried about how many seeds dropped this season and what the field might look like next year!

1 bitter melon
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of white pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Dash of fish sauce

I like to gather all the ingredients because I add the flavorings in stages while it’s cooking.

1. Cut the ends off the bitter melon, and slice long-ways in half. Scrape out the white inside and immature seeds. Slice into thin slices.

2. Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan until sizzling hot. Add the bitter melon and stir-fry a few seconds, and then sprinkle the sugar on the bitter melon.

3. Fry for a minute or so (the sugar kind of caramelizes), and sprinkle on the salt and white pepper.

4. Next add the vinegar and stir-fry a minute or two.

5. The bitter melon should be looking softer and cooked. Add the red pepper flakes and stir-fry one more minute, until it’s soft cooked through.

6. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle with a dash of fish sauce. Serve with sticky rice!