Bittergourd Curry Recipe

Bittergourd Curry Recipe

(Nyonya Recipe)

300 g pork (more lean than fat), minced

300 g prawns (shrimps), shelled, de-veined, washed and drained, minced

¾ coconut, grated

3 heaped tablespoons coriander (ketumbar)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jintan putih)

5 dried chilies, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes

3 fresh red chilies

6 shallots

3 pips garlic

14 fried soya bean cakes (tau pok), cut into halves

1 big bittergourd, cut into slices (2.5 cm thick) at a slant

2.5 piece fresh turmeric (kunyit)

6 tablespoons cooking oil

salt to taste

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon pepper

Method:

Grind coriander, cumin seeds and turmeric finely.  Grind chilies finely.  Pound or grind shallots and garlic finely.  Add 1 rice bowl of water to coconut and squeeze for first milk.  Add 3 rice bowls of water to the some grated coconut and squeeze for second milk.  Put minced pork and prawns into a bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons light soy sauce and 1 tablespoon pepper.  Stir to mix well.  Stuff the mixture into the cut bittergourd.  Heat pot, add oil till hot, add ground shallots, chilies and garlic, stir for a few seconds, then add ground coriander, cumin seeds and turmeric.  Stir and add a few tablespoonfuls second coconut milk until fragrant.  Add remaining second coconut milk and cook until gravy is fairly thick, then add stuffed bittergourd, pieces of fried soya bean cake and salt to taste.  Slow boil for another few minutes.  Switch off heat and leave pot covered for half an hour.  Serve.