How to tell if ampalaya is bitter just by looking at it? Some say that the more pronounced the ridges, the less it is so. I had never bothered to look into the validity of this assertion; if the thing is fresh and firm to the touch, I buy it.
Maybe I’m just lucky, then, because I have yet to serve bitter gourd/melon too bitter to eat. When someone told me that you were supposed to salt the slices and let them sit for some time, supposedly to draw the bitterness out, then squeeze for good measure, I thought about it for all of a minute, then decided it was not worth the extra effort. Why should I when no one’s ever complained?*
Not that I don’t have a ritual of my own: I immerse ampalaya in acidulated iced water. Whether that does anything other than firm it up, I have little idea. At least I get a refreshing chill ducking my hands into the bowl every now and then.
Another advice is to not stir while cooking bitter gourd, which is virtually impossible for me, being a maniacal stirrer. Anyway, I have of late taken to cooking vegetable dishes in a clay pot, and I can tell you it is much easier to shake the pot than stir in it, its mouth is so narrow. I do think that clay pot dishes taste better, even if I have to admit someone else has yet to notice. As for ampalaya coming out less bitter cooked that way — nah.
The obvious question is, why eat ampalaya if you don’t care for its singular defining quality? That’s like wanting durian that does not reek, or ordering a Sichuan dish without the spiciness.
The dish pictured here is perhaps the most common way of serving bitter gourd in the Philippines. To make, sauté roughly chopped onion, garlic, and tomato (in that order), then stir in ujáp/bagoong (shrimp paste), fish sauce, and a bit of sugar. Sauté for another minute (or two) before adding sliced bitter gourd and some water or chicken broth. Cover your cooking vessel, remembering to occasionally stir (shake, if using clay pot) until vegetable is cooked short of your desired level of doneness. Season to taste, then pour in beaten egg, leaving it to set before giving everything one final stir/shake. Serve hot.
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