Bitter gourd chicken (苦瓜闷鸡) is a beloved home-cooked dish, enjoyed by many Chinese families in Malaysia.
This dish is easy to prepare and complements steamed rice beautifully. While bitter melon (bitter gourd) and chicken may seem to have opposing flavors, the bitterness of the gourd harmonizes perfectly with the tender chicken. In this recipe, I will guide you through the classic Cantonese method using yellow and black bean sauce. Below are the detailed steps to create this delicious braised bitter gourd with chicken.
Main Ingredients for Braised Chicken with Bitter Gourd
- Chicken: I prefer using bone-in chicken pieces, as the bones add extra flavor during the braising process. Boneless chicken breast is also an option, although it may lack some depth of flavor, which can be compensated by adding chicken broth during cooking.
- Bitter Gourd: When selecting bitter gourds, choose medium-sized ones that feel firm and slightly tapered at both ends. The skin should be bright green with evenly spaced ridges. Younger gourds are lighter in color and milder in taste, while darker green ones are more mature and typically more bitter.
- Black Bean Paste and Yellow Bean Paste: This recipe utilizes both yellow bean paste (taucu) and black bean paste, which are commercially available. While they may be harder to find outside of Asia, they can often be purchased online. Each paste contributes its unique flavor, creating a delightful taste in this dish.
- Other Seasonings for Braising: Additional ingredients required include light soy sauce, oyster sauce, ground white pepper, and some water.
Steps to Prepare Bitter Gourd Chicken
- Cut the chicken into small chunks and marinate with light soy sauce, ground white pepper, Shaoxing wine, and cornflour for at least half an hour. Refrigerate if marinating longer.
- Trim both ends of the bitter gourd. Slice it crosswise into 2-inch sections, then cut each section lengthwise in half. Remove the seeds and pith, preferably using a stainless steel spoon for efficiency. Ensure you remove all of it, as the pith and seeds are more bitter than the flesh. Finally, cut the bitter gourd into 1/4-inch strips.
- Add a teaspoon of salt to the bitter gourd and let it sit for ten minutes. Then, transfer it to a pot of boiling water and blanch for two minutes to reduce bitterness. Drain in a colander.
- In a wok or saucepan, pan-fry the chicken in oil until both sides are slightly browned. (Note: Restaurants often deep-fry the chicken for even browning, but this may not be practical at home due to leftover oil.)
- Slice the ginger thinly and mince a tablespoon of garlic. Heat vegetable oil in the wok/saucepan and sauté the ginger and garlic until aromatic, keeping the heat low to prevent burning.
- Add the yellow bean paste and black bean paste, sautéing over low heat until fragrant.
- Add the bitter gourd, chicken, and the specified braising seasonings. Braise over low heat for twenty minutes. If you prefer the bitter gourd to remain vibrant, add the chicken first and the bitter gourd later. Add more water if the mixture starts to dry out. After twenty minutes, the chicken should be fully cooked.
- Conduct a taste test to adjust the flavor. Some gourds may be more bitter than others. If it’s too bitter, you can add sugar, or if it’s not salty enough, add more bean paste. Once satisfied with the taste, transfer to a serving plate.
Ingredients
Marinate (A):
Sauce for Braising (B):
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, bone-in, skin-off.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes with Marinate (A).
- Cut the ginger into thin slices and mince 1 tablespoon of garlic.
- Cut the bitter gourd lengthwise in half, then into 5cm sections crosswise. Remove the seeds and cut into julienne.
- Mix a teaspoon of salt with the bitter gourd and let it sit for at least ten minutes.
- Blanch the salted bitter gourd in boiling water for two minutes, then drain.
- Heat some vegetable oil in the wok. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until slightly browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add more oil to the wok. Sauté the ginger and garlic until aromatic. Add the bitter gourd, black bean paste, yellow bean paste, and the braising sauce (B).
- Braise for about 20 minutes until the bitter gourd is soft and the sauce thickens. Serve.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2
Serving Size: 2 servings
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 365
Total Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Cholesterol: 118mg
Sodium: 1089mg
Carbohydrates: 19g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 6g
Protein: 33g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 6/16/2019
More About Yellow and Black Bean Paste
In this recipe, I use a 1:1 ratio of yellow bean paste to black bean paste. You can adjust the proportions or omit the yellow bean paste altogether if you prefer to use only black bean paste. Both pastes are savory, so no additional salt is necessary.
Do I Need to Thicken the Gravy with Cornstarch Slurry?
While you can thicken the gravy with a cornstarch slurry, I prefer to reduce the gravy further for a more concentrated flavor.
How to Reduce the Bitterness of the Gourd
Bitter gourd lives up to its name, but its bitterness can often be too intense. Here are some methods to reduce it:
- Thoroughly remove the pith and seeds, as they contain more bitterness than the flesh.
- After cutting the bitter gourd, place it in a bowl, add a large teaspoon of salt, and mix well. Let it sit for ten minutes.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the bitter gourd, and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain afterward.
- Salt helps to remove the bitter compounds (alkaloids) through osmosis, while blanching further releases these compounds from the gourd.
Salt also counteracts bitterness on our taste buds more effectively than sugar. For more insights on the relationship between salt and bitterness, consider exploring additional resources.
