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Preparation
10 minutes
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Cooking
15 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Have you added many vegetarian dishes to your family’s menu? Today, TasteVN will show you how to make delicious and flavorful straw mushrooms braised with bitter melon for a change on the full moon day. Let’s get cooking to make this delicious dish right away!
Ingredients for Braised Straw Mushrooms with Bitter Melon Serves 4
Bitter melon 2 pieces Straw mushrooms 250 gr Chili 5 pieces Shallots 3 bulbs Fermented tofu 2 pieces Soy sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Vegetarian seasoning a little Common spices a little (salt/ sugar/ monosodium glutamate/ ground pepper)
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose crispy and less bitter bitter melon
- When buying bitter melon, pay attention to choose those that look fresh, shiny, feel firm in hand, straight shape, not bent or warped, and have no bee sting spots.
- Observe the stem part; if it is still fresh, it means the bitter melon is freshly picked, still fresh and juicy.
- Bitter melon with a light green color, wide veins, and fewer bumps will be less bitter than those with a dark green color and dense veins.
- In addition, larger and fatter bitter melons will also be less bitter than smaller, elongated ones.
See details: How to choose crispy and less bitter bitter melon
How to choose fresh and delicious straw mushrooms
- Delicious straw mushrooms are those that are still in bud form, round or cylindrical, and feel slightly firm when squeezed.
- You should choose mushrooms that are uniform in size for a more visually appealing and tastier dish.
- Black or gray straw mushrooms will taste better than the white ones.
- Choose mushrooms that have bright colors and a distinctive mushroom aroma.
- Do not choose mushrooms that have a foul smell, dull color, feel soft and mushy to the touch, or are overly large, as these are mushrooms that have been stored for too long and will not taste good.
See details: How to choose fresh and delicious straw mushrooms
How to choose delicious fermented tofu
- You should choose jars of fermented tofu with the tofu floating on the surface and having a dark color, as these indicate the tofu is ripe and can be used.
- It is advisable to select jars of fermented tofu stored in glass jars, as storing in plastic jars can cause the fermentation process to release harmful toxins not good for health.
- Do not purchase jars of fermented tofu where the tofu pieces are blotchy black and have a strong odor, as these indicate the tofu has been moldy.
- Additionally, you can make fermented tofu at home following the recipe shared by TasteVN.
Tools needed
Clay pot, frying pan, bowl, mortar, pestle,…
How to prepare Stir-fried Straw Mushrooms with Bitter Melon (Vegetarian)
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Prepare the ingredients
Remove the roots of the straw mushrooms, soak them in saltwater for about 15 minutes, then rinse with clean water and let them drain.
Remove the seeds from the bitter melon and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Then, soak the cut bitter melon in diluted saltwater for about 10 minutes, rinse it clean, and then let it drain.
Effective ways to reduce the bitterness of bitter melon:
- To reduce the bitterness of bitter melon, when preparing, scrape off the white membrane inside the core, as this is where the most bitterness resides.
- Additionally, mix the chopped bitter melon with salt for about 20 minutes, then rinse it under cold running water; this is also an effective way to reduce bitterness.
- You can also blanch the sliced bitter melon in boiling water for about 2 – 3 minutes, then remove it for further cooking.
See details: Effective ways to reduce the bitterness of bitter melon
Add 1 chili and 3 peeled shallots into a mortar and pound them until finely crushed.
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Make the stew sauce
You put 2 pieces of fermented tofu into a bowl and mash them, then add 1 teaspoon of vegetarian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and finally 5 tablespoons of water, then stir the mixture until it dissolves.
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Stew bitter melon with straw mushrooms
You heat a pan, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, then add minced onion and chili to fry until fragrant. Next, add the straw mushrooms, stir-fry over medium heat for about 2 – 3 minutes, then remove and place into a clay pot.
Next, use the same pan that you just used to fry the mushrooms, and add the bitter melon to stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add the bitter melon to the clay pot with the straw mushrooms.
Finally, add the stew sauce and 4 chili peppers into the clay pot. Place the pot on the stove, turn the heat to low, and stew for about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then turn off the heat!
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Finished Product
Stir-fried straw mushrooms with bitter melon has soft, fragrant mushrooms, combined with slightly bitter bitter melon, a slightly spicy sauce, and the rich aroma of fermented tofu.
The dish will taste better when eaten with white rice during vegetarian meals that are extremely satisfying without being overwhelming.
See more:
Just a few steps to complete the delicious and flavorful stir-fried straw mushrooms with bitter melon that adds variety for the full moon day. TasteVN wishes you success in your cooking!
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