Bitter Melon Pork Ribs

Bitter Melon Pork Ribs

　　Ingredients

　　Main ingredients: 280g pork ribs, 580g bitter melon

　　Side ingredients: 2 green onions, 2 slices of ginger, 1 clove of garlic

　　Seasonings/marinade: 35g fermented black beans, ½ tsp cornstarch, 1 small tsp salt, ½ small tsp MSG, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 small tsp oyster sauce, a pinch of pepper, 7 tbsp oil

　　Instructions:

　　1. Cut the pork ribs into chunks and mix with cornstarch. Shred the bitter melon, add salt and water, mix well, marinate for 30 minutes, then rinse in clean water to remove excess salt.

　　2. Cut the green onions into sections; chop the ginger, garlic, and fermented black beans.

　　3. Heat the oil, sauté the ginger, fermented black beans, and garlic together, then add the pork ribs and bitter melon. Stir-fry over medium heat for 4–5 minutes. Add half a cup of water along with salt, MSG, soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, and pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, then thicken with a mixture of cornstarch and water. Garnish with green onions and serve.

　　Nutritional Value

　　Pork Ribs – In addition to protein, fat, and vitamins, pork ribs also contain large amounts of calcium phosphate, collagen, and bone mucoprotein, providing calcium for children and the elderly.

　　Bitter Melon – Bitter melon, the fruit of the Momordica charantia plant in the Cucurbitaceae family, is cultivated throughout China. Also known as 锦荔子 (Jǐnlìzǐ), 癞葡萄 (Làipútáo), or 癞瓜 (Làiguā), it is a dual-purpose food with both dietary and medicinal benefits.

　　Cuisine Category

　　Lu Cuisine – Among the Eight Great Cuisines of China, Lu Cuisine ranks first. Its formation and development are closely tied to the cultural history, geographical environment, economic conditions, and local customs of Shandong Province.