How to make crispy and irresistible pickled bitter melon in fish sauce, super simple

How to prepare Bitter Melon pickled in fish sauce

• 1

  Prepare the bitter melon

  You prepare a diluted saltwater, then squeeze 1 lemon into it and stir well to dissolve.

  Wash the bitter melon, cut off the ends. Then you cut it in half and scoop out the insides of the bitter melon.

  Next, you cut the bitter melon diagonally into bite-sized pieces. And you put all the cut bitter melon into soak.

  Tip:

  • When cutting the bitter melon in half, you will see the white pith inside, which is where the most bitterness is contained, so you should use a knife or spoon to scrape off the pith close to the green flesh; the bitterness will be significantly reduced.
  • For thinly sliced bitter melon, you can also marinate it with a little salt, soak for about 15 minutes, then rinse with clean water to reduce the bitterness of the bitter melon.

  

  

  
• 2

  Blanch the bitter melon

  You place a pot of water on the stove and add the bitter melon to boil, then cook for 2 minutes.

  When the bitter melon is just cooked, you take it out and soak it in ice-cold water.

  Tip: Soaking in ice water after boiling helps the bitter melon stay crispy and retain its green color.

  

  

  
• 3

  Prepare fish sauce

  Add 1 cup of water, 1 cup of fish sauce, 300g of sugar, and 100g of minced garlic into a bowl and mix well.

  

  
• 4

  Make bitter melon soaked in fish sauce

  After draining the bitter melon, place them in a bowl, then pour in the prepared fish sauce and add sliced chili to finish.

  
• 5

  Final product

  When enjoyed, the bitter melon is very crispy, delicious, and not too bitter. It is very suitable to accompany fatty dishes like braised pork or square sticky cake during the Tet holiday.