Dish of Pork & Fuzzy Melon Stir Fry
(click to enlarge)

Pork with Fuzzy Melon


China, Southeast

Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
3 w/rice
***
1-1/2 hrs
Yes
A simple but tasty stir fry of Fuzzy Gourd and Pork. The Pork can be either Sliced or Ground (see Gallery).

9
-------
2
1
1
1/4
-------
1
1/2
5
1
1/2
1/2
1/2
2
1-1/2

oz
---
t
T
t
t
---
#
in
cl
T
c
t
T
T
T

Pork meat (1)  
-- Marinade
Soy Sauce
Rice Wine (2)
Sesame Oil, dark
Pepper
--------
Fuzzy Melon (3)
Ginger root
Garlic
Oil
Stock (4)
Salt
Cornstarch
Water
Rice Wine (2)

Prep   (40 min - 30 min work with sliced or ground pork, 40 min with hand chopped)
  1. Slice PORK about 1/8 inch thick and cut into strips about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide, or chop fine, or use Ground Pork.
  2. Mix all Marinade items and Massage into Pork. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or more.
  3. Scrape FUZZY MELON (no need to peel, just take off the thin dark green skin). Cut into slices 1/2 inch thick, then cut slices into sticks 1/2 inch wide.
  4. Slice GINGER very thin and cut slices into thin slivers. Mix together. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Mix with Ginger.
  5. Stir together Cornstarch and Water to make a slurry.
RUN   (30 min)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan heat 1 T Oil. Stir in Ginger Mix, just until aromatic. Stir in Pork and fry stirring over high heat until it has lost all it's raw color.
  2. Stir in Fuzzy Melon and Stock. Cover and simmer until Fuzzy Melon is done, stirring several times. It is done when it is translucent, but the seed mass has not yet fallen apart. about 12 minutes. Sample some edge pieces for doneness.
  3. Stir in Salt to taste, then Rice Wine.
  4. Stir up Cornstarch slurry and stir it in until the sauce thickens some.
  5. 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. Fuzzy Melon:

      [Mo Gwa, Mo Qua, Moa Gua]   Select a fresh looking one that's about 1 pound, or two smaller ones. Note that Thai recipes in English usually call Fuzzy Melon "Winter Melon" (it is an immature Winter Melon). Suitable substitutes are Opo Squash (Bottle Gourd) or Luffa Squash (a Gourd), ribbed (Chinese Okra) or smooth (Sponge Luffa). For details see our Fuzzy Melon and Gourds page.
  4. Stock:

      Chicken is standard, but Pork stock will work fine too.
  5. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch ar=as required tt=to taste
cmm_pigfuzm3 210116 var   -   www.clovegarden.com
©Andrew Grygus - agryg@clovegarden.com - Linking to and non-commercial use of this page permitted