Chinese Stir-fry Bitter Gourd/蛋炒苦瓜[dàn chǎo kǔ guā]

From my mum May Loh's recipe

Serves 4

Preparation & Cooking Time: 20 - 30 minutes

Ingredients:
- 1 bitter gourd cut into slices
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 - 2 Eggs beaten
- 2 TBS cooking oil
- A handful of frozen shrimps (optional)
- A handful of goji berries (optional)
- 1/4 cup water
- Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cut bittergourd to half (length-wise) and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

2. Slice bittergourd thinly.

3. Heat oil in frying pan or wok and stir fry garlic till fragrant.

4. Add bitter gourd slices and stir fry over high heat for about 2 minutes until almost cooked.

5. Pour the beaten egg slowly over the bittergourd and stir until cooked and dry.

6. Add frozen shrimps, salt and pepper and continue to stir fry until cooked.

7. Add water and let it sizzle and evaporate to bring out the flavour of the dish and give it a little bit of sauce. Adjust the water amount accordingly. You don't have to add all the water.

7. Add goji berries, mix well and serve :-)

Nutritional Value:
Bitter gourd is rich in vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium, Phosphorous, copper and potassium.

Bitter Melon is very helpful in regulating the blood sugar levels and as a diabetic cure. It is also used to treat hypertension, eye complications, neuritis and defective metabolism of carbohydrates. It is also said to increase the body's resistance against infection. Bitter gourd is proven effective in treating blood disorders like blood boils, itching, scabies, psoriasis, ring-worm and other fungal diseases. Bitter melon aids digestion and can be used by those with digestive disorders and constipation.

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Additional Information:
I served this dish for dinner this evening. I know Daddy won't like bitter gourd, well because it was bitter. I was also not having any expectation of J willing to eat it. To my surprise, J (23M25D) ate it without complaining :-) He had a bowl of rice with it, but he didn't finish the whole bowl this evening, which was also alright, as normally he eats more than a bowl, which I think is too much. But the doctor says I should just let him eat how much he wants.

When I was young, I didn't like this dish when my mum served it. But the bitterness is very good for health. The more bitter the better, so don't try to remove the bitterness with salting it and washing it away. You will just be washing away its nutrients and health promoting properties. Now that I am grown up and far away from home, I actually missed this bitter dish and started liking it.

My mum usually doesn't add goji berries, I add goji berries.

References:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Bitter-Gourd---Health-Benefits-and-Recipes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_melon