Cold White Bitter Melon Salad
Beautiful and white! A refreshing cold dish featuring Taiwanese "white bitter melon" with less bitterness.
Description
A refreshing dish where Taiwan's specialty 'White Bitter Melon (Baiyu Kugua)' is sliced ultra-thin, crisped in ice water, and eaten with a sweet/sour dried plum-based sauce.
Restaurants serving Cold White Bitter Melon Salad
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- White bitter melon(Baiyu Kugua)
- Hua Mei(Dried plum)
- Honey
- Lemon juice
- Soy sauce
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Prepare Taiwan's unique 'Baiyu Kugua' (white, thick, milder bitterness and higher moisture than green bitter melon).
- Halve lengthwise, completely scrape out seeds and the 'white pith' with a spoon (the pith holds the bitterness, so removing it thoroughly is a pro tip).
- Use a peeler (or knife) to slice ultra-thin until translucent.
- Immediately soak the slices in 'massive ice water' and chill in the fridge for ~
- mins to tighten the texture into a crisp (Cui) state.
- [Sauce] Steep Taiwanese 'Hua Mei (sweet/sour dried plum)' in hot water, blend its liquid with soy sauce, honey (or sugar), a little lemon juice, and sesame oil to make a special plum sauce.
- Fluffily plate the drained white bitter melon in a glass bowl, and pour the special plum sauce generously to serve.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Sweet and sour dried plum
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Japanese green bitter melon (slice ultra-thin and salt-rub as it's more bitter)
Pairing
Heavy meat dishes (Kong Rou Fan、etc.)
Trivia
[For Adults] Bitter melon is hugely popular in Taiwan as a healthy ingredient to 'lower fire (body heat)'. The 'pure white' melon is visually beautiful and juicy like a fruit salad, making it surprisingly easy to eat even for those who dislike bitterness.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Heavily coat the ice-cold, crisp white bitter melon with the sweet/sour plum sauce, eating it refreshingly to blow away the summer heat!
Allergen
Soy, Wheat (from soy sauce), Sesame