Ampalaya con Carne is a tasty stir-fry made with bittermelon and tender beef. It's a vegetable side dish packed with flavor and good-for-you nutrients. Delicious with steamed rice!
Ampalaya can be a tricky vegetable to prepare. The gourd is known as a nutritional powerhouse with many health benefits and herbal properties, but with its myriad of vitamins and minerals comes a pronounced bitter taste, which can be off-putting to most.
To get rid of its natural acridness, it is customary for the cook to salt the vegetable and squeeze off its juices before cooking. This method does improve palatability, but with a caveat: important nutrients are also dispelled during the process. Contrary to popular kitchen practices, I do not salt my ampalaya before cooking as I want to reap its full benefits. By following my simple tips, you'll find that salting is unnecessary for a successful ampalaya dish.
Ingredient notes
- Ampalaya- also known as bittermelon. The youngest and greenest gourds have a more pronounced bitterness as the taste mellows as the vegetable matures and yellows.
- Beef- top sirloin, tenderloin, and flank steak are great choices. The recipe also includes a velveting technique, which will help turn more budget-friendly cuts, such as chuck roast, into tender options. You can also use ground beef or diced pork belly. Not in the mood for meat? Try this ginisang ampalaya with shrimp!
- Oyster sauce and soy sauce- the combination creates a delicious medley of saltiness, umami, and sweetness
- Sesame oil - for aroma and flavor boost
- Cornstarch- helps velvet the meat and thicken the sauce
- Onions and garlic- flavor base of ginisa dishes
- Sugar- in small amounts can help neutralize bitter tastes and balance saltiness. Sprinkle about ยฝ teaspoon into the dish.
- Water- or beef broth if you prefer a deeper flavor
- Salt and pepper- enhances the overall taste and adds zing
Ampalaya con Carne cooking process
This recipe has two essential components for the best results. First, the ampalaya must be prepared properly to minimize bitterness. The second step is to ensure the beef is juicy and tender.
How to prepare ampalaya
- Use a spoon to scrape off all the white piths. This part has a high alkaloid content and can be bitter.
- Slice the ampalaya thin, uniform thickness so it will cook evenly and quickly.
- Soak in salted water until ready to use to prevent discoloration and remove some of the bitterness.
- If you prefer to salt the ampalaya slices, place them in a bowl and sprinkle them with rock salt. Let stand for about 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze to expel excess juices and rinse well.
How to prepare beef for stir fry
- Slice the beef thinly in uniform sizes to ensure quick and even cooking. Cut across the grain for a more tender chew. Freeze for a few minutes until slightly firm to make slicing easier.
- Velvet the meat using cornstarch or baking soda to make it soft and juicy.
- Marinate for at least 20 minutes before cooking to add depth of flavor.
Helpful tip
Keep stirring to a minimum. Cook on high heat to sear the meat properly and prevent the bitter gourd from overcooking in the steam.
How to serve and store
- Serve this beef and bitter gourd stir fry as a main dish with steamed rice and your favorite fried fish. It's a hearty and nutritious meal perfect for lunch or dinner.
- Leftovers should be stored in a container with a tight-fitting lid. They can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in a wide pan over medium heat to 165 F or in the microwave at 1 to 2-minute intervals until heated, stirring well after each interval.
More ampalaya recipes
Ingredients
- 2 large ampalaya
- ยฝ pound top sirloin, sliced into thin strips
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ยฝ cup water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut ampalaya lengthwise into halves. With a spoon, remove seeds and scrape off inner pith. Sliced thinly and place in a bowl of cold water until needed. Drain well when ready to use.
- In a bowl, combine beef, ยฝ of the oyster sauce, ยฝ of the soy sauce, sesame oil, and 3 teaspoons of the cornstarch. Marinate for about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well, reserving marinade.
- In a wide skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add beef and spread across pan. Allow to sear for about 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and then turn to brown evenly. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until softened.
- Add ampalaya and gently stir to combine. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until tender yet crisp. Return beef to pan.
- In a small bowl, combine water, the remaining soy sauce and oyster sauce, the remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and sugar. Stir until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved.
- Add to pan and continue to cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until beef is heated and the sauce thickens.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Notes
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Edna Gabriel Quibual says
Gusto kng humingi ngnlistahan ng mga recipe nyo po
Arnel Torres says
i would like to try cooking torta Con Carne or Torta Con hipon but dont know how ..can you have a recipe for torta con hipon or torta con carne I' am an OFW in UAE abu dhabi thank you hoping someday i can watch you vlog on this menu...more power.
Pep says
I had to wait for the amplaya to cook a tad bit before adding back the beef. I donโt do any salting or squeezing the amplaya. I was taught not to stir any ampalaya dish until done cooking and sprinkle a little sugar on the amplaya while cooking. Works everytime that even my toddler and 6yo wasnโt scared of ampalaya dishes.๐
Dave says
The bitterness of the ampalaya is really in the seeds and white membrane of the vegetable. After splitting the ampalaya lenghtwise and scraping off the seeds and white membrane with a spoon, I put a tablespoon of rock salt in each half and rub off with the salt any remaining whitish membrane, then rinse off the excess salt with running water. Only then do I slice the vegetable into the desired shape or size. This rids more of the bitterness and also retains more of the nutrients of the vegetable, as compared to the slice, soak and squeeze method.
Lalaine says
Thanks for the tip, Dave!
Gourmet Getaways says
Nice and looks easy to prepare. I love meat and veggie combos :). Thanks for sharing!!!
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Gourmet Getaways
carmen says
Picture looks great, colors so vibrant! My mother has a similar recipe, but she adds sotanghon. I think I'll try your recipe using beef flank, cut across the gran, marinated, with a tsp of cornstarch. Can't wait to go out and buy the ingredients!
Lalaine says
With sotanghon? Never heard this version before. Now you're making me want to cook ampalaya again, just to try it with sotanghon. Sounds delicious ๐
carmen says
Oh, yes! My mother makes this dish with sotanghon, and it is so good! Served it to my American friends and they loved it. Of course here in Ohio, the ampalaya is not so bitter. Just a lot crunch and a hint of bitter taste. Haven't made this in a while. Got to start cooking...
Lalaine says
Hello Carmen,
I've never had ampalaya with sotanghon, sounds interesting! Will have to give your mom's recipe a try ๐
amelia tan says
I always cook ampalaya with sotanghon. Itโs good. It takes away the bitterness of the ampalaya. I also cook it with tomatoes.
Ann Calzado says
Yay! My Favorite ๐ pinakamadaling lutuin at ibang version . . . I'll try this mamayang hapunan. i have to buy oven pa kasi para matry ko ung ibang recipes ng kawaling pinoy haha for the meantime yung madadali muna. Ipon muna pambili ng ibang gamit.