take 2 - stir fried beef & bitter melon with black bean sauce

aug 7, 2023 (mon).............made a 2nd attempt

benchmark video 

i) you tuber just one cookbook : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIeK9riF6xk

ii) you tuber happy wok : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPhuRexF67w

introduction

- a very popular and controversial dish in hong kong

- bitter melon is largely hated by kid or young age coz of its bitterness

- usually old people appreciates the special bitter flavor of bitter melon

- it is a dish you either love it or hate it..............lol

main ingredients (1 serving)

- 1 pc x bitter melon/ bitter gourd

- beef (beef skirt cut, felt much better than ox cheek cut)

- black fermented bean sauce

- garlic

- soy sauce

- salt

- white pepper powder

- sugar

- sesame oil

- wine

marinate sauce ingredients (basing on 12 oz beef)

- 1.5 teaspoon soy sauce

- 1/3 teaspoon chicken powder (replaced by oyster sauce + pinch of sugar)

- 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch

- 1 teaspoon wine

- little water

- little oil

seasoning ingredients (basing on 12 oz beef)

- 1 teaspoon black fermented black sauce

- 1/3 teaspoon salt (skip coz my black fermented soy sauce already salty enough)

- 1 teaspoon sugar (skip coz sweetness from oyster sauce is already good for me) 

- 1/2 teaspoon chicken powder (replaced by oyster sauce + pinch of sugar)

- white pepper powder

- 1.5 teaspoon oyster sauce

- little dark soy sauce

- little sesame oil

- cornstarch water (optional if needed)

steps

1. use kitchen paper to absorb all excess water content

2. thinly sliced beef

3. mix marinated sauce according to the ingredients above <-- exclude oil which wait till last marinated step...................add sliced beef and mix well................leave it for 10 mins for meat to absorb marinated sauce

4. if all marinated sauce been absorbed.............add 1 teaspoon of water................once absorbed, add another 1 teaspoon of water.............total 2 teaspoon

5. once water also fully absorbed by meat.............add oil..........mix well and fridge it for about 1 hr if possible............before cooking, take out beef to room temperature for another 1 hour if possible

6. cut both ends of bitter melon and then into half

7. remove seeds...............if you prefer less bitter, scrap as much white inner tissue as possible

8. slant cut it into thick piece

9. add salt to marinate bitter melon for 10 mins

10. rinse with water............this way not only remove salt but also some bitterness as well

11. boil some water and add a teaspoon of sugar..........cook for ~1 min until slightly soft

12. cool it down in cold/ ice water

13. drain bitter melon

14. add oil.............heat up the pan...............when it is real hot.............pan fry sliced beef.............stay at least 30 seconds not moving it............let outer cooked..........flip over............keep high heat until they get some browning color

15. just cook it till medium well............set aside

16. add garlic and black fermented soy bean sauce.............low to medium heat.............stir fry until fragrant

17. add bitter melon..............pan fry till your preferred texture..............then add little wine

18. add back sliced beef..............pour seasoning ingredient.................mix and pan fry till beef is just well done

19. done

taste

-best pair with rice

-bitter melon have little crunchy texture which is good

-unique salty black fermented soy bean taste so flavorful

-sauce just good enough to coat on bitter melon and beef without the need to use cornstarch (personal preference not to add)

areas of improvement

-i am very satisfied with this attempt

-beef skirt cut is so much tender than ox cheek...............next time can cut a little thicker in order to give beef some volume............i was cutting too thin (last time ox cheek cut has much tendon)