Stuffed Bittermelon Soup w/Glass Noodles (Canh Khổ Qua)

Another delicious dish that my parents made growing up was stuffed bittermelon soup, also known as canh khổ qua. It tastes exactly as it sounds—bitter, hah! But there are actually ways to cut down on the bitterness, and it involves soaking the bittermelon in a lemon brine. You should also keep in mind that the less textured the exterior of your bittermelon is, the less bitter it will be. I just happen to have some small and young organic bittermelon from my mom’s garden that I used (above), which means it is a little bit more on the bitter end, but I don't mind because what I’m really here for is that stuffing (which a touch of bitterness of course!). Naturally when asking my mom for her ‘recipe’, her response is vague as usual: “just put whatever you want in it”. Seriously that was it. So I found myself just tossing some things in a bowl together, and this is what I came up with—my own no-fuss recipe for stuffed bittermelon soup, inspired by my mom. I always find that the simpler the Vietnamese soups are, the better they just taste. Never fancy, but always comforting.

STUFFED BITTERMELON SOUP W/GLASS NOODLES  (CANH KHỔ QUA)

Degree of difficulty: 1 (on a scale of 1-5)

Preparation time: 40-45 minutes

Cook time: Approximately 25 minutes

 

YOU’LL NEED

  • A 5.5 quart pot

  • A small spoon for scooping out the seeds/filling of the bittermelon

 

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4-6 PEOPLE)

  • 5-6 small bittermelon (or 3-4 medium to large bittermelon), cut in half (or thirds if the bittermelon are larger) with seeds and stuffing completely removed

  • 1 large lemon

  • 3 stalks of green scallion, thinly sliced (for garnish/topping)

    FOR THE FILLING

  • 1/2 pound of organic ground pork

  • 1/2 small onion, roughly chopped

  • 1/3 cup of rehydrated dried Earwood mushrooms, roughly chopped (to rehydrate dried Earwood mushrooms, soak them in hot water for about 15 minutes)

  • 1 TSP fine sea salt

  • 1 TSP chicken stock powder

  • 1 TSP freshly ground pepper

    FOR THE BROTH

  • 12 cups of hot water

  • 2 TSP fine sea salt

  • 1 TBS chicken stock powder

  • 2 TBS of fish sauce (and more to taste)

  • 1 small cluster of glass noodles

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cut your bittermelon in half, and scoop out the seeds and filling, making the bittermelon completely hollow inside.

  2. In a large bowl of water, squeeze the juice of 1 large lemon into the bowl, and throw the actual squeezed lemon in the bowl of water as well. Add in your bittermelon, making sure they are completely submerged in the bowl (you can use another small bowl as a ‘weight’ to keep the bittermelon submerged. This technique will help reduce the bitterness of the melon. Soak for 30 minutes, and then drain and pat dry.

  3. In a separate large mixing bowl, add in 1/2 pound of organic ground pork, 1/2 small roughly chopped onion, 1/3 cup of roughly chopped rehydrated dried Earwood mushrooms, 1 TSP of fine sea salt, 1 TSP of chicken stock powder, and TSP of freshly ground pepper. Mix well with your hands until fully blended.

  4. Using a small spoon, scoop the meat mixture into the hollowed bittermelon, packing it in really well. I like to leave a little room at the top (about 1/4”) since the filling will expand and tends to come out of the bittermelon a little bit, but feel free to pack it to the top, flush. Set aside.

  5. Add 12 cups of hot water to a 5.5 quart pot. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add in your stuffed bittermelon, and 2 TSP of fine sea salt, 1 TBS of chicken stock powder, and 2 TBS of fish sauce. Allow the bittermelon to simmer on medium-low for about 10 minutes before coming back to the pot to gently skim the impurities and scud that have risen to the surface of your broth. Discard the impurities and continue simmering on medium for about 10 more minutes.

  6. Add in your small cluster of glass noodles, and simmer for another 5 minutes on medium.

  7. Once the bittermelon has softened and the glass noodles become clear, you can remove from heat. Taste and add additional fish sauce if necessary. Transfer to a large serving bowl and top with thinly sliced green scallions. Serve with jasmine rice.



VI HOANG