Bitter Gourd Rice Vermicelli

Recipe: Bitter Gourd Rice Vermicelli(苦瓜米粉)
Serves: 2



Ingredients

• 1 bitter gourd
• 1 ¼ coils rice vermicelli (pre-soaked in water then drain)
• 150g minced meat

Meat Marinade

• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp sugar
• ⅛ tsp sesame oil
• ⅛ tsp pepper
• ¼ tapioca starch or corn starch

Anchovy Broth

• 130g anchovies (gently rinsed and drained twice)
• 1800ml water

Seasoning

• ¾ tsp salt or to taste
• ½ tsp sugar or to taste
• ⅛ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp sesame oil
• ½ to 1 TBSP light soy sauce (* optional)
• 1 TBSP shallot oil

Toppings

• shallot crisps
• shallot oil
• pepper

Dipping Sauce

• chopped bird's eye chilies + light soy sauce

Measurements: tsp = teaspoon | TBSP = tablespoon

Preparation
1. Halve bitter gourd lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Scrap off the white layer with a metal spoon. Pre-soak rice vermicelli in hot water for 20 minutes then drain.	2. Slice bitter gourd thinly.	3. Put minced meat and meat marinade in a bowl. Stir in one direction to mix. Let marinate for about 10 minutes.
4. Put anchovies and 1800ml water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 more minutes. Strain the broth and return to boil. Discard the anchovies.	5. Reduce heat to low. Season soup with seasoning. Add rice vermicelli and cook over medium heat until soft. Fish out rice vermicelli. Divide rice vermicelli into serving bowls.	6. Spoon minced meat into the soup.
7. Add sliced bitter gourd. Turn heat to medium high. Allow to cook for 2 minutes or until meat is cook.	8. Divide meat and bitter gourd into serving bowls. Add soup to rice vermicelli. Add the toppings then serve hot with bird's eye chilies in soy sauce.

Notes

Scrapping off the white layer from bitter gourd can avoid the very bitter taste.