Textual Chef Textual Chef

Bitter Melon Salad

A crisp, chilled salad featuring thinly sliced bitter melon tossed in a tangy garlic sesame dressing. Blanched quickly to tame its sharp flavor while keeping its signature crunch.

17 minEasyServes 460 cal/serving

ChineseSaladStovetopVeganVegetarianLow CarbKosher-styleGluten-FreeNut-FreeDairy-FreeEgg-FreeShellfish-FreePork-FreeCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb bitter melon, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp chili oil

Instructions

  1. 1

    Toss 1 lb thinly sliced bitter melon with 1 tsp salt in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.

  2. 2

    Blanch 1 lb thinly sliced bitter melon in boiling water for 1 minute, drain, and plunge into ice water.

  3. 3

    Whisk 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1/2 tsp granulated sugar, and 1 tsp chili oil in a small bowl.

  4. 4

    Drain 1 lb thinly sliced bitter melon thoroughly, squeeze out excess water, and toss with the dressing.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Questions

Why blanch first in Bitter Melon Salad?

Step 2 reads: "Blanch 1 lb thinly sliced bitter melon in boiling water for 1 minute, drain, and plunge into ice water." The quick boil in step 2 sets the color and takes off the raw edge. If the step follows it with cold water, that is to stop the cooking at once so the vegetables stay bright and crisp.

Is there a substitute for rice vinegar in Bitter Melon Salad?

The entry for Bitter Melon Salad calls for 1 tbsp rice vinegar. In its place: Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, softened with a pinch of sugar, is close. Avoid plain distilled vinegar at full strength, which is much sharper.

Does Bitter Melon Salad contain sesame?

Yes: 2 tsp toasted sesame oil. The full allergen list for this entry is soy and sesame. Seeds used as a garnish can simply be left off; the oil has no true substitute. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

How many calories are in Bitter Melon Salad?

One serving (the recipe makes 4) is about 60 calories, with 2 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate and 4 g fat, plus 2 g fiber and 480 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.

Can I freeze Bitter Melon Salad?

It is not a good candidate. The base of Bitter Melon Salad is vinegar, which holds up: it keeps three to four days refrigerated and tastes better after a few hours, once the dressing has soaked in. Hold back a spoonful of dressing to freshen it before serving. It does not freeze.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,530 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.

More Chinese entries

All Chinese recipes · All Salad recipes