Braised Stuffed Bitter Melon & Tofu w/ Tomato Fish Sauce | Khổ Qua & Đậu Hủ Dồn Thịt Kho Sốt Cà

Name: Braised Stuffed Bitter Melon & Tofu w/ Tomato Fish Sauce | Khổ Qua & Đậu Hủ Dồn Thịt Kho Sốt Cà
Total time: 4500 s
Yield: 6 people
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs ground pork (80% lean); 1 bundle glass noodles (hydrated, dried, & chopped to size); 1 oz dried shredded fungus mushrooms (hydrated, dried, & chopped to size); 3 scallion heads (minced); 1 shallot (minced); 1 Tbs sugar; 1/4 tsp msg; 1.5 tsp ground black pepper; 2 tsp chicken bouillon granulate; 1 Tbs fish sauce; 3/4 tsp sea salt; 1 large egg; 5 Roma tomatoes (diced); 1/2 small white onion (minced); 5 cloves garlic (minced); 1 shallot (minced); 1 Tbs Sugar; 1.5 tsp chicken bouillon granulate; 2 Tbs Fish sauce; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 2 bitter melons; 5 pcs squared fried tofu; as needed Neutral cooking oil; Green onions (chopped); Fried shallots; Thai chili

Quoc Nguyen | Chef Q @chefqstr

Katy, Texas USA

Vietnamese have some of the best ways to cook bitter melon. We turn them into “better melons”! This flavorful dish works with just stuffed bitter melon by itself or stuffed tofu by itself. Combine both for the best outcome!

Quoc Nguyen | Chef Q @chefqstr

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Ingredients

1 hr 15 minutes

6 people

Ground pork stuffing
1.5 lbsground pork (80% lean)
1 bundleglass noodles (hydrated, dried, & chopped to size)
1 ozdried shredded fungus mushrooms (hydrated, dried, & chopped to size)
3scallion heads (minced)
1shallot (minced)
1 Tbssugar
1/4 tspmsg
1.5 tspground black pepper
2 tspchicken bouillon granulate
1 Tbsfish sauce
3/4 tspsea salt
1large egg
Braised Tomato fish sauce
5Roma tomatoes (diced)
1/2small white onion (minced)
5 clovesgarlic (minced)
1shallot (minced)
1 TbsSugar
1.5 tspchicken bouillon granulate
2 TbsFish sauce
1 tspground black pepper
Other Essentials
2bitter melons
5 pcssquared fried tofu
as neededNeutral cooking oil
Green onions (chopped)
Fried shallots
Thai chili

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Steps

1 hr 15 minutes

1

Preparation: cut bitter melon to size and hollow out the center. Tips: The more white you can remove from the melon inners, the less bitter it is. Cut tofu in half horizontally.
2

Combine evenly all ingredients in “ground pork stuffing” section. Then stuff bitter melons; over stuff it on the outside to keep the meat from sliding out when cooked. Sandwich the pork stuffing between “tofu paddies”. Use the oozed filling to seal the 4 edges.
3

Steam (on medium heat) the stuffed bitter melon and stuffed sandwich tofu for 20 minutes. Cut tofu diagonal. Take out and let sit to dry out moisture for 5 minutes before pan frying till evenly seared. Remove from wok/pan.
4

Make tomato braised fish sauce: with a bit of oil, sauté minced garlic, shallots, and white onions. When onion turns translucent, add diced tomatoes & listed seasonings. Sauté for 2 minutes.
5

Add back in the pan fried stuffed bitter melon and stuffed tofu. Organized neatly. Cover and let simmer on low heat for 3 minutes.
6

Uncover and let simmer till sauce reduces. Topped with chopped green onions, black pepper, fried shallots, and red Thai chili. Enjoy!