Description
A refreshing, fruit-like cold dish where Taiwan's specialty 'White Bitter Melon (Baiyu Kugua)' is sliced ultra-thin, ice-shocked, and steeped overnight in special plum syrup.
Restaurants serving Plum Marinated White Bitter Melon
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We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
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
- Hua Mei(Taiwanese dried plum)
- Rock sugar
- White vinegar
- Ice water
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Bitterness Removal (Crucial)] Halve Taiwanese 'White Bitter Melon', scrape seeds and 'white pith' with a spoon (pith causes bitterness, so scrape thoroughly to the absolute limit).
- Slice 'ultra-thin' until translucent with a slicer.
- Blanch in boiling water for just '
- seconds', shock instantly in ice water to make it crisp.
- [Plum Syrup] Boil water, rock sugar, Taiwanese 'Dried Plum (Hua Mei)', and a little white vinegar to extract sweet/sour plum essence into a syrup; let cool.
- Put firmly squeezed white bitter melon in a container, cover with plum syrup.
- Chill thoroughly in the fridge overnight, completely masking the bitterness with plum sweet/sourness to finish.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Sweet/sour refreshing aroma of plum
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Japanese green bitter melon (soak longer as it's more bitter)
Pairing
All greasy dishes and banquet meals
Trivia
[For Women] White bitter melon is thicker and less bitter than green, perfect for raw eating/pickling. Soaked in Taiwan's sweet/sour 'dried plum' essence, the bitterness turns mostly into 'umami and freshness'. A magic salad that surprises even bitter melon haters.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Elegantly taste the white bitter melon—translucent from absorbing syrup—making a 'crisp, crisp' sound like a dessert!
Allergen
None