Ampalaya con Tausi

I'm excited to work with Maggi to bring you this tasty recipe! All opinions are my own.

Ampalaya con Tausi is a savory bittermelon dish with tender pork belly, umami-rich fermented black beans, and sweet and savory Maggi oyster sauce. It's nutritious, delicious, and perfect with steamed rice for a hearty and healthy meal!

We have plenty of bittermelon recipes on the blog, but while ginisang ampalaya with shrimp and ginisang ampalaya at sardinas are powerhouses of flavors, my favorite is Ampalaya con carne. I love the interplay of bitter vegetable slices, the sweet and savory sauce, and tender beef in every spoonful. And I'm excited to recreate the same tastes in this new recipe with tausi to level it up!

Ingredients you'll need

• Ampalaya- Choose young gourds with vibrant green color, slightly glossy skin, and firm to the touch. As the fruit ripens and yellows, it becomes tougher and intensely bitter.
• Pork belly- The rendered fat will serve as the oil, adding flavor and richness to the dish. You can substitute pork shoulder (Kasim) if you prefer a leaner cut.
• Aromatics- onion and garlic for sautéing.
• Tomatoes- I like ripe Roma or plum tomatoes for their juicy and sweet taste
• Tausi- or douchi, are fermented black beans with a salty and umami flavor. Drain them from the brine and rinse well before using to remove excess saltiness.
• Light Soy sauce- adds a subtle saltiness and depth
• Maggi Oyster sauce- for a sweet and savory flavor
• Brown sugar- neutralizes the bitterness of the ampalaya and balances the saltiness of the tausi
• Cornstarch- for a glossy, slightly thick sauce.
• Salt and pepper- to taste

How to reduce bitterness

Ampalaya, also known as bitter melon, bitter gourd, or balsam pear, is an edible fruit widely used in Filipino cuisine. While highly regarded for its ease of cooking and nutritional value, its characteristic acrid taste can be unpleasant to some. Below are a few ways to mellow some of the bitterness.

• Scrape out the seeds and white pith with a spoon. The white pith has a high alkaloid content and can be bitter. When the squash starts to ripen and yellow, the white pith becomes a sweet, red gel.
• Soak ampalaya slices in salted water, drain, and rinse in cold running water.
• Sprinkle them with salt, toss, and sit for about 10 minutes. Squeeze out the liquid and rinse in cold running water.
• Parboil or blanch the ampalaya slices before using them in recipes.
• Add a bit of sweetness with sugar or a sweet and savory condiment such as Maggi oyster sauce to counteract the bitterness.

Cooking instructions

Here is a quick rundown of how to cook ginisang ampalaya with tausi and pork belly. The recipe card below has detailed ingredients and procedures.

1. Brown pork in a wide pan until it begins to render fat. Add onions and garlic and saute until softened.
2. Cook tomatoes until softened and juices are released.
3. Cook pork. Add water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer until pork is tender.
4. Make sauce. Combine light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Add to the pan and simmer until slightly thickened.
5. Add ampalaya and tausi. Cover and cook until ampalaya is tender.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

How to Serve and Store

• Serve ginisang ampalaya with tausi as a hearty main dish for a nutrient-packed lunch or dinner. Pair it with your favorite fried or grilled fish, such as daing na bangus and inihaw na tuna belly.
• Transfer leftovers to a container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This vegetable dish doesn't freeze well. Although safe to eat, it can turn mushy when frozen and thawed.
• Reheat in a pan over medium heat to 165 F or pop in the microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals, stirring well between intervals to distribute heat.