Beef Ampalaya

Posted by emnidy on November 19, 2010 · 1 Comment 

D adores ampalaya.  While so many people strive for ways to make ampalaya (bitter gourd) less bitter, he likes it as bitter as it could get.

Back when I was still single, my mom taught me to take the bitterness of ampalaya away by soaking it sliced in salt water before cooking.  So, depending on how bitter you want it to be, feel free to skip the soaking part.

Use tenderloin for the beef.  For any stir fry dish, only tenderloin can cook fast enough without being too tough to chew.

First, mince some garlic and stir fry it with the beef.  Add some soy sauce and mix well until evenly coated.

When the beef is almost cooked, add the ampalaya.  You’ll know if it’s almost cooked by looking at the color.  Veggies turn into a vibrant shade when they’re cooked to just the right amount.

On a separate bowl, prepare some starch slurry (starch and water), and add some oyster sauce and a dash of seasoning.  The amount of water and starch will dictate how much and how thick your sauce will be.  Add this mixture to the pan.  After it changes to a thick, transparent (and yummy!) sauce, turn off the fire and you’re done!  Serve while hot and enjoy!

Filed under beef, chinese, recipes, veggie · Tagged with ampalaya, beef, oyster sauce, recipe, stir fry