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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
40 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Delicious and refreshing bitter melon soup simmered with bones, and the preparation is very simple to make. Into the kitchen with TasteVN to make this soup dish for the whole family to enjoy!
Ingredients for Bitter Melon Soup with Bones Serves 4 people
Bitter melon 500 gr (about 3 pieces) Pork ribs 300 gr (or pork bones) Green onions 2 stalks Coriander 1 stalk Ginger 1 piece (smashed) White wine 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Common spices a little (salt/ sugar/ seasoning powder/ monosodium glutamate/ pepper)
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose fresh, less bitter bitter melon
- Select bitter melons that are of moderate size, elongated, with many tiny veins on the skin.
- Bitter melons should have a natural fragrance, uniform color, and no strange smell. They should feel firm to the touch, not soft or mushy.
- Avoid buying bitter melons that are dark green, have swollen bodies, and glossy skin, as they may have been fertilized with a lot of nitrogen or growth stimulants, which may not be safe to consume.
How to choose fresh and delicious pork ribs
- Fresh pork ribs have a light pink color, and when pressed, the meat shows good elasticity. Choose ribs with small and flat bones. This type of rib has more meat and less bone compared to larger, round ribs.
- For soup dishes, you should choose ribs that have both lean meat and fat so that they will be softer, more fragrant, and richer when eaten.
- Pork ribs should have a natural smell; do not choose ribs that smell foul, have a pale green color, or are slimy.
How to make Bitter Melon Soup with Bones
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Prepare the pork ribs
Wash the pork ribs thoroughly, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Then, place the pork ribs in a pot of boiling water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of white wine, and 1 crushed ginger root, blanch for 2-3 minutes to remove the unpleasant smell of the pork ribs, then take them out and rinse again with clean water and let them drain.
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Prepare other ingredients
Green onions and cilantro are washed clean. The ends of the green onions are cut into pieces, and the leaves of the green onions and cilantro are chopped finely.
Bitter melon is cut in half lengthwise, seeds are removed, and it is cut into pieces about 2 finger lengths, then washed thoroughly. Place the washed bitter melon into a pot of boiling water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and blanch the bitter melon for about 2 – 3 minutes to reduce the bitterness and make it greener.
After blanching the bitter melon, place it into a bowl of ice water, soak for 2 – 3 minutes, then remove and drain the bitter melon.
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Cooking the soup
Place a pot on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil into the pot. When the oil is hot, add chopped green onion and sauté until slightly golden and fragrant.
Once the onion is slightly golden and fragrant, add 1.5 liters of water to the pot, bring to a boil, then add the prepared pork ribs, seasoning with 1 teaspoon of salt and simmer for about 20 minutes on low heat until the ribs are cooked and the soup is sweet.
When the ribs are cooked, add all the bitter melon that has been drained, season with an additional 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes until the bitter melon is cooked, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed before turning off the heat.
Sprinkle chopped green onion, chopped coriander, and a little ground pepper on top and ladle into a bowl.
Tip: To make the soup clearer and more flavorful, be sure to skim off the foam while cooking.
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Final product
Bitter melon soup with pork ribs, with the blend of sweetness from the soup and a slight bitterness from the bitter melon, will surely be a refreshing dish suitable for hot weather days. Enjoy your meal!
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Bitter melon soup with bone is indeed fragrant and appealing, isn’t it? Wishing you success with the recipe from TasteVN!
*Reference the recipe and images from the YouTube channel thithifood saigon
