Ampalaya in Garlic Sauce

• 2 bitter melon, deseeded and sliced thin
• 4 large garlic, smashed and minced (more if you like garlic)
• 2 tsp. ginger sticks or minced
• 2 green onions cut in 2″ lengths
• 1 TBS fermented dried Chinese blackbeans, rinsed and rehydrated or you can use garlic blackbean sauce
• Oil for sauteing
• 2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water

Mix in a small bowl or cup:

• 2 TBS Light soy sauce
• 1 TBS oyster sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. sugar or 1 tsp Aji Mirin

Boil some water then drop in the sliced bitter melon. Let the bitter melon blanch for about 30 seconds then drain. Set aside.

Heat 1 TBS oil in a skillet or wok. Saute the ginger root until browned. Take them out leaving the oil in the skillet or wok and set them aside. Saute the garlic in the same oil until fragrant. Stir in the green onion, followed by the blackbeans. Stir while pressing some of the blackbeans. Add the soy sauce mixture. Heat then add the bitter melons and saute for a few seconds until heated through. Add the cornstarch dissolved in water and cook stirring until it thickens.

You may put the ginger root back in the dish or leave them out.

The picture shows an added eggplant in the dish only because I had an extra eggplant. You can also add some Kangkong if you like. The eggplants also need to be blanched but longer than the bitter melon. It is to prevent the egg plants from absorbing most of the cooking sauce or oil. It is like a sponge.

If you are adding kangkong, blanch the kangkong with the bitter melon.