This recipe, Bitter Melon, Chorizo and Egg, is a variation on one of my very favorite recipes of all time – Bitter Melon and Egg – Mara Pad Kai. Admittedly, bitter melon might be an acquired taste, although I’ve liked it from the start.
Generally, I don’t like the idea of “fusion” food – the word confusion springs readily to mind. I think cuisines are already fusion foods – they’ve been created from ingredients at hand and when new ingredients show up, the cuisine changes. We’ll have a blog post down the line by Kasma titled “Thai Food is Fusion Food.”(Click on an image to see a larger version.)
I’ll include a more formal version of the recipe below but it’s so simple you really can just wing it. For tips on buying bitter melon, read Kasma’s Notes and Pointers from her Bitter Melon and Egg recipe.
Feel free to vary quantities any way you’d like. The pictures I’m including here actually used a pound of chorizo to one bitter melon and I used three eggs. If you like it with chorizo, try it with another loose meat or sausage.
You might also enjoy Kasma’s article on Bitter Melon on the website.
Bitter Melon, Chorizo & Egg Recipe
Recipe by Michael Babcock
Adapted from recipe by Kasma Loha-unchit
Ingredients
- bitter melon about 8 inches in length
- 2 eggs
- 2-4 Tbs. or lard (peanut oil will do)
- 1-2 tsp. fish sauce (optional)
- 1/2 pound loose Mexican chorizo
Cut the bitter melon in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and slice each half crosswise in thin pieces. Beat the eggs in a bowl.
Heat a wok until its surface begins to smoke. Swirl in the lard or oil and let heat 10 to 15 seconds. Add the bitter melon and sauté in the oil for about one minute. If needed (this will depend on your chorizo), sprinkle with fish sauce and continue to sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the melon starts to soften.
Add the chorizo, break up so that it is loose, toss amongst the bitter melon and cook until nearly done (1 to 2 minutes).
Spread the mixture thinly over the wok surface. Pour the beaten eggs evenly over the melon pieces. Let eggs set about half a minute, then flip the mixture over to cook the other side. Cook until eggs are set and lightly browned.
Written by Michael Babcock, June 2009.
Tags: bitter melon, egg, recipe
[…] We do have a recipe fo this dish: Bitter Melon & Egg – Mara Pad Kai. I’ll also make it with chorizo, though you can also substitute naem sausage for the chorizo if you want to stick with Thai ingredients: see my blog, Bitter Melon, Chorizo & Egg. […]
Just wanted to say thanks for this recipe – it was delicious. I didn’t have fish sauce so I added some oyster sauce at the end. Really interesting mix of tastes and textures!
I’m new to the bitter melon but am definitely acquiring a taste for it. Tried your recipe and loved it!