Pumpkin and Bittergourd Stir-fry ~ 南瓜炒苦瓜

 

A quick and easy pumpkin stir-fry,  just that I partnered it with some bittergourd to infuse  with the sweetness of pumpkin.  A comforting and healthy dish and it's delicious to load spoonfuls of it onto a bowl of hot plain white rice.

Pumpkin and Bittergourd Stir-fry ~   南瓜炒苦瓜

Ingredients

• 150 gm kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin), thinly sliced with skin
• 150 gm bittergourd, sliced
• 10 gm dried shrimps
• 3 pips of garlic chopped
• 1/4 cup water or more if needed
• Light soy sauce to taste
• Oil for frying
• Some curry leaves (optional)

Method

1. Add some salt into the sliced bittergourd, let sit for about 15 mins.  Squeeze out any juice, rinse.  This helps to extract some bitterness from the bittergourd.
2. In a pan, saute the dried shrimp, garlic and curry leaves till fragrant.
3. Toss in the kabocha and stir-fry.  Add some water to cook the kabocha.  When it's semi-cooked, add in the bittergourd, continue to stir-fry, add water if necessary.
4. Use a fork to poke into the kabocha and bittergourd to see whether they're cooked.
5. Add light soy sauce to taste.
6. Dish out to serve.