bitter melon with black beans

Preparation time 25 minutes Cooking time 20 minutes 875 g bitter melons 1 tablespoon groundnut oil 4 garlic cloves, finely diced 2 tablespoons peeled and finely diced fresh root ginger 2 shallots, finely diced 6 spring onions, thinly sliced 2 red chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced 4 tablespoons fermented black beans rinsed and roughly chopped 2 teaspoons golden caster sugar 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine 200ml boiling hot vegetable stock Cut the bitter melons in half lengthways, remove the seeds with a teaspoon and discard. Thinly slice the melons.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the melons and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on kitchen paper.

Heat the oil a large nonstick wok or frying pan over a high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, shallots, spring onions, chillies and black beans and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the melon, sugar, rice wine and stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium.

Cover the pan and simmer for about 8-10 minutes until the melon is tender. Serve with steamed rice.

For broccoli with black bean sauce, spray a nonstick wok or large frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and heat over a high heat. Add 3 finely chopped garlic cloves, 400(13 oz)very thinly sliced broccoli florets, thinly sliced onion and 200(7 oz)thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are slightly softened. Add 4 tablespoons black bean sauce, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce and 100 ml (312 fl oz) vegetable stock and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.

Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds and serve with noodles.

qingquang

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