Vietnamese Bitter Melon Stir-Fry

Step 1

Rinse the bitter melon under cold water and pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Step 2

Lay the bitter melon lengthwise on the cutting board and slice it in half from end to end, then scoop out the seeds and pale flesh inside with a spoon, leaving a thin shell.

Step 3

Slice the hollowed bitter melon crosswise into half-moon rings about 1/4 inch thick, as if slicing a cucumber.

Step 4

Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about pencil-tip sized dots.

Step 5

Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 12-inch skillet and set it over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and moves quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

Step 6

Add the minced garlic to the hot oil and stir constantly for 15 seconds until the kitchen smells strongly fragrant and the garlic starts to turn light golden.

Step 7

Pour all the bitter melon slices into the skillet and stir for 1 minute until the pieces are coated in oil and garlic.

Step 8

Pour in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, then stir for 30 seconds until the liquid is evenly distributed.

Step 9

Let the mixture cook without stirring for 6 minutes until the bitter melon softens and begins to brown lightly at the edges, occasionally pushing pieces around with a spoon.

Step 10

Taste the bitter melon for tenderness—a fork should slide through easily; if still firm, cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 11

Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste, stir once, and transfer to a serving plate or bowl.