Pounded Chili and Bitter Melon Stir-fry is a classic Hunan home-style dish. The bitter melon is crisp with a sweet aftertaste, and the pounded chilies are charred and mildly spicy. The bitter melon is dry-fried first to remove moisture, and the chilies are blistered to create a “tiger skin” texture. Stir-fried with lard and fermented black beans over high heat for that “wok hei” flavor—savory with a hint of bitterness and spice. Perfect with steamed rice or noodles.
🌴 Ingredients:
· 2 bitter melons (bright green with plump bumps for a milder bitterness)
· 4-5 green chilies (thin-skinned for better flavor and aroma)
· 2 red chilies (for color)
🌴 Aromatics:
· 4-5 cloves minced garlic (about 15g)
· A small piece of minced ginger (about 5g)
· 1 tsp fermented black beans (about 5g, the soul of the dish)
🌴 Seasonings:
· 1 tbsp lard (about 15g, for sautéing, adds richness)
· 2 tbsp light soy sauce (about 30ml)
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce (about 15g)
· 1 tsp sugar (about 5g, to enhance flavor and balance the bitterness)
· A pinch of white pepper powder
· Salt, to taste
· Cooking oil, as needed
🌴 Instructions:
- Prepare the Bitter Melon
Wash the bitter melon, cut it in half, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and the white membrane (the membrane is the most bitter part). Cut into thin slices. ⚠️ Note: Make sure to remove the white membrane—it’s the key to reducing the bitterness. - Dry-fry the Bitter Melon
Heat a pan without oil. Add the bitter melon slices and dry-fry over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until softened and the moisture has evaporated. Remove and set aside. ⚠️ Note: Dry-frying removes the raw taste and some of the bitterness, making it crispier. This is more authentic than salting it. - Pound the Chilies
Remove the stems and seeds from the green chilies and cut them into sections. Heat a pan without oil, add the green chilies, and dry-fry over medium heat. Press them with a spatula until the surface is blistered and slightly softened. Remove and set aside. ⚠️ Note: The pounded chilies are the soul of this dish—the charred “tiger skin” greatly enhances the flavor. - Sauté the Aromatics
Heat 1 tbsp of lard in the pan. Add the minced ginger, garlic, and fermented black beans, and stir-fry over low heat until fragrant. ⚠️ Note: Lard and fermented black beans are the soul of this dish. Sautéing them before adding the bitter melon builds a richer flavor. - Stir-fry the Bitter Melon
Turn to high heat, add the dry-fried bitter melon, and stir-fry quickly for 1-2 minutes. Add 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, and 1 tsp sugar. Stir-fry to combine. ⚠️ Note: Keep the heat high to keep the bitter melon crisp. Cooking too long will make it soft and yellow. - Combine and Serve
Add the pounded green and red chilies and stir-fry over high heat for 30 seconds. Sprinkle with white pepper and add salt to taste. Stir-fry quickly to combine. ⚠️ Note: Add the chilies at the end to keep them crisp with a charred aroma. - Serve
Turn off the heat and serve hot. The bitter melon is crisp with a sweet aftertaste, and the pounded chilies are charred and spicy.
💡 More Delicious Recipes:
If you enjoy the charred and spicy flavor of pounded chilies, you should also try my [Pounded Chili and Fried Tofu Stir-fry] for a juicy and addictive kick, or my [Pounded Chili and Lotus Root Stir-fry] for a crispy texture.
Want to explore more easy-to-make dishes? Check out my full [Home-style Dishes] category!
💡 Tips:
Remove the white membrane from the bitter melon and dry-fry it to reduce the bitterness. Dry-frying the chilies until blistered maximizes the charred flavor. Using lard makes the bitter melon richer and more fragrant. Fermented black beans are the soul—don’t skip them. Keep the heat high to keep the bitter melon crisp. Add 1 tsp of sugar to balance the bitterness. Add salt at the very end so the bitter melon doesn’t release water.
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