Dish of Pork with Fuzzy Melon
(click to enlarge)

Pork with Fuzzy Melon


China / California
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3 w/rice
***
1-1/2 hrs
Yes		 A simple but tasty stew. I call it "China / California" because I adapted it from a Chinese recipe for Pork Belly with Fuzzy Melon. Of course, this recipe is not as rich, but is lower in calories.

14
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1
1
1
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2
1
-------
3/4
2
1
1
2/3
----
1
2
1
1
1-1/2
oz
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t
T
T
---
T
#
---
in
T
t
t
t
---
T
T
T
T
c
Pork meat (1)  
-- Marinade
Soy Sauce
Rice Wine (2)
Oyster Sauce (3)
--------
Dried Shrimp (4)
Fuzzy Melon (5)
-- Seasonings
Ginger root
Rice Wine (2)
Chili Garlic (6)
Sesame Oil
Salt
--------
Cornstarch
Water
Oil
Oil (more)
Stock (7)
Prep   (1 hr - 45 min work)
  1. Slice PORK thin and slice into shreds, or as you please.
  2. Mix all Marinade items and Massage into Pork. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or more.
  3. Crush SHRIMP well. I run to powder in a spice grinder because Americans aren't accustomed to sharp pointy bits in their food.
  4. Scrape the FUZZY MELON with the back side of your prep knife to remove the very thin dark green peel. Cut lengthwise into quarters and cut into bite sized wedges with alternating diagonal cuts.
  5. Slice GINGER very thin and cut slices into thin slivers. Mix together with all Seasoning items.
  6. Mix Cornstarch and 1 T Water to make a slurry.
RUN   (30 min)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan heat 1 T Oil and stir in Fuzzy Melon. Fry stirring over high heat, tumbling constantly, until pieces are speckled with browning. Remove and set aside.
  2. Add 1 T Oil to the pan. Over high heat stir in Pork and fry stirring until it has completely lost its raw color, any exutded liquid has evaporated, and you see a trace of browning. Watch the fond that sticks to the pan, reddish is OK, but if it tends to chocolate, go to the next step immediately.
  3. Stir in Seasoning mix and Dried Shrimp. Continue stirring another minute.
  4. Stir in Fuzzy Melon, then Stock. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until Fuzzy Melon is tender. This can take from 10 to 15 minutes.
  5. Scrape any remining fond into the sauce, then stir up Cornstarch slurry and stir it in until it thickens the stew. Adjust liquid if needed.
  6. Serve hot with plenty of steamed long grain rice.
NOTES:

  1. Pork:

      Weight is skinless and boneless. Just about any cut can be used, and it can be a bit fatty or not as you please.

  2. Rice Wine:

      Use a good, drinkable Chinese rice wine, not that horrid salted "cooking" version. If you don't have this, use a Dry Sherry. Sake is made from rice but is not considered a good substitute, it's beer, not wine. For details see our Chinese Rice Wine page.

  3. Oyster Sauce:

      A standard Chinese sauce also used in Southeast Asia for dishes in the Chinese style. Quality varies widely. My current favorite is Megachef (Thai), but it isn't as widely available as Lee Kum Kee Premium, which is also very good - very Chinese looking bottle, but made in Los Angeles. Yes, these are more expensive, but for a reasons - much higher oyster content, unleaded and no melamine.

  4. Dried Shrimp:

      Measure is for whole tiny dried shrimp, or lightly crushed if larger. Easiest way to measure is to half fill a 1/4 cup measure (= 2 T).

  5. Fuzzy Melon:

      [Mo Qua] Actually a gourd, this is the immature form of a close relative of the giant Ash Gourd or Winter Melon. For details see our Fuzzy Melon page.

  6. Chili Garlic Sauce:

      Huy Fong Foods (Green cap) is available nearly everywhere, and just as widely respected.

  7. Stock:

      Chicken or Pork stock will work fine.
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch ar=as required tt=to taste
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