Braised Chicken With Bitter Gourd

 

Ingredients:

250 g. chicken (1 whole leg, cleaned and cut into bite size pieces)

1 medium bitter gourd 

1/2" ginger (peeled and sliced into thin slices)

1 tbsp. garlic (finely chopped)

3/4 tbsp. fermented bean paste (taucho) 

1 tsp. cornflour + 1 tbsp. water for thickening

1 1/2 tbsp. cooking oil

Marinade: (for chicken)

1/2 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tsp. Shaoxing wine

A dash of ground white pepper

1 tsp. cornflour

Seasonings: (mix in a small bowl)

1/2 tbsp. light soy sauce

1/2 tbsp. oyster sauce

1/2 tsp. sugar (to taste)

A dash chicken stock granules

A dash ground white pepper

1/2 cup water

Methods:

1. In a bowl, marinate the chicken pieces with the marinade ingredients, mix well and set aside for at least an hour.
2. Cut the bitter gourd in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon.  Cut into bite size pieces and set aside.  Rub the cut bitter gourd with 1/4 tsp. salt.  Bring a pan of water to a boil. Blanch the bitter gourd for about 1 minute.  Drain and rinse bitter gourd in cold water and set aside.
3. Heat up cooking oil in a wok.  Saute half of the garlic and sliced ginger until fragrant.
4. Add in the marinated chicken.  Stir fry on medium heat until chicken is half done. (chicken begins to shrink and firm up).  Dish the chicken out and set aside.
5. Reheat wok and add a little more oil.  When oil is hot, add in the remaining garlic and ginger.  Stir fry until aromatic and lightly browned.  Then add in the fermented bean paste and stir to mix well.  Add in bitter gourd and saute, followed by the half cooked chicken pieces.  Stir fry and mix well together.
6. Give the seasoning ingredients a stir and pour in and stir well.  Bring the gravy mixture to a boil, and taste for correct seasoning. Then cover, reduce the heat and let simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through.  Add in cornflour solution.  Toss the chicken and bitter gourd until sauce thickens.
7. Dish out and serve hot with freshly cooked white rice.  Enjoy!

I adapted this recipe from 'Huang Kitchen' with slight adjustments to suit my cooking preference.