Beef dipped in coconut water served with wild bitter melon leaves and rich coconut water, combined with the light bitterness of wild bitter melon leaves, is a hot pot specialty of the people in the Central Highlands. Let’s cook with TasteVN and make this unique and new hot pot dish right away!
1. Beef dipped in coconut water with wild bitter melon leaves (recipe shared by a user)

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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
10 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Beef dipped in coconut water with wild bitter melon leaves (recipe shared by a user) Serves 4
Beef 1 kg Wild bitter melon leaves 500 gr Onion 1 bulb Coconut 2 fruits (or 500ml coconut water) Minced garlic 1 tablespoon Common spices a little (seasoning/MSG/sugar)
Ingredient image
How to prepare Beef dipped in coconut water with wild bitter melon leaves (recipe shared by a user)
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Prepare the ingredients
Wash the beef thoroughly by rubbing it well with salt, then rinse with water and let it drain.
To make it easier to cut, place the beef in the freezer refrigerator for about 30 minutes, then take it out and use a knife to cut it into thin slices.
Tips for cleaning beef, no odor:- Method 1: The simplest way to eliminate the odor from beef is to rub it well with white salt, then rinse it clean with water.
- Method 2: Another way to deodorize beef is to soak it in white wine for 15 minutes after washing, then take it out and use a paper towel to dry it.
- Method 3: Rub the piece of meat with lemon juice (or vinegar) for a few minutes, then wash it clean and let it drain.
See details: Effective methods to eliminate beef odor
Peel the onion, wash it, cut it in half lengthwise, and then slice it thinly crosswise.
Wash the wild bitter melon leaves twice with water to clean, then let them drain.
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Marinate the beef
Put the beef into a bowl and mix well with 1.5 teaspoons of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Marinate for about 15 minutes for the beef to absorb the spices.
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Cook the broth and complete the dish
Cut two coconuts to take the water and pour it into the pot, place the coconut water pot on the stove to boil, to enhance the flavor of the broth, add 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning.
Next, add an appropriate amount of beef, bitter melon leaves, and onion, boil until the water is boiling again and the beef is just cooked, then scoop the meat, bitter melon leaves, and a little broth into a bowl to enjoy.
To enhance the flavor, dip the beef in a little garlic chili soy sauce.
Note: To prevent the beef from becoming tough and the bitter melon leaves from being too bitter and overly soft, you should dip the meat and bitter melon leaves as you eat, avoiding soaking them in the broth for too long. -
Final product
The beef is just cooked, retaining its tenderness and sweetness, the wild bitter melon leaves are initially bitter but leave a sweet taste on the tip of the tongue, along with the sweet coconut water, all create a unique and appealing dish of beef dipped in coconut water with wild bitter melon leaves.
2. Beef dipped in coconut water with wild bitter melon leaves

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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
15 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Beef dipped in coconut water with wild bitter melon leaves For 4 people
Beef brisket 500 gr Young wild bitter melon leaves 500 gr Fresh coconut 1 fruit Garlic 1 bulb Fresh chili 2 fruits Common spices a little (salt/ sugar/ seasoning/ monosodium glutamate)
Image of ingredients
How to cook Beef dipped in coconut water with wild bitter melon leaves
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Prepare the ingredients
To eliminate the smell from the beef, after buying, wash it thoroughly with diluted salt water, then rinse with clean water and let it drain. Use a knife to cut it into thin slices for easy eating.
Remove the wild bitter melon leaves from the stems, then wash them clean and let them drain.
Tip: You can use ginger or white wine when washing the beef to help eliminate its smell. -
Marinate the beef
Cut both ends of the garlic, peel off the skin, crush it, and then mince it finely.
Mix the minced garlic with the beef, add 1/4 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, mix well and let it sit for 5 – 10 minutes for the beef to absorb the spices.
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Cook the hot pot
Place a pot on the stove, pour in the prepared coconut water, and heat until it boils.
Once the coconut water is boiling, add the beef and bitter melon leaves, add 1 – 2 chili peppers to create a mild spiciness for the hot pot, bring to a boil again, season to taste, and it is ready to enjoy.
Tip
- You should not boil the beef for too long as it will become tough and not taste good.
- You should dip the bitter melon leaves slowly while eating, then dip more to prevent the hot pot from becoming bitter and the vegetables from becoming mushy.
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Final Product
The coconut water hot pot with beef served with bitter melon leaves is delicious and appealing, and is now complete. The blend of the sweetness of beef with the slight bitterness of the bitter melon leaves creates an extremely unique and interesting dish. Enjoy your meal!
Information about wild bitter melon leaves
- Wild bitter melon leaves (bitter gourd) are the leaves of a type of wild climbing plant found in the plains and hills of Vietnam.
- Wild bitter melon leaves have a cooling property, a slight bitterness, and are known as clean food with many health benefits.
- This type of leaf is favored and widely used in the mountainous regions of the Central Highlands, and has now been propagated and cultivated in many places across the country.
How to choose fresh and delicious wild bitter melon leaves
- You should choose the young leaves, as they will be softer and have a milder bitterness when eaten.
- Choose fresh leaves with a beautiful color, not wilted or bruised.
- Select smaller bitter melon leaves, as larger leaves are usually from cultivated bitter melons, which are not as tasty as wild bitter melon leaves.
- You can find wild bitter melon leaves at wholesale markets, vegetable stalls, and e-commerce sites specializing in regional foods.
How to choose fresh and delicious beef
- You should choose the beef chuck, as this is the most delicious, sweet, and nutritious part of the beef, suitable for making hot pot.
- Choose beef that is bright red, with fine and smooth fibers, the fat should be light yellow and slightly firm, and when pressed, it should have good elasticity.
- Beef should have a natural smell, uniform color, no white spots, and no strange odor.
- You should avoid buying dark red pieces of beef, with large fibers and dark yellow fat as that indicates the beef is old, very tough, and not tasty.
How to choose delicious fresh coconuts
- Coconuts should weigh about 1 – 1.5 kg per fruit. It is advisable to choose young coconuts as they have the sweetest water and are very delicious, suitable for making hot pot.
- Choose coconuts that have a dark green color and are not bruised. Coconuts with the stem still attached to the shell are freshly picked, fresh, and sweet.
- If buying peeled coconuts, pay attention to those with soft shells that have not changed color when exposed to air for a long time. Avoid buying coconuts that remain bright and white after being outside for a while, as they may have been soaked in chemicals.
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Hope that through how to cook beef dipped in coconut water and wild bitter melon leaves, you have added a delicious, new, and incredibly attractive hot pot dish to your family’s menu. Wishing you success with the recipe from TasteVN!