Canh Khổ Qua

• Bitter melon
• Stock or water
• Cilantro, scallions

Filling:

• Ground pork
• Bean thread noodles and wood ear fungus, soaked and roughly chopped
• Fish sauce, sugar, salt, pepper
  • about 1 tsp fish sauce, 1/4 tsp salt per pound pork
• (Onions, garlic, soy sauce, etc.)

1. Combine filling ingredients and mix well (product should be bouncy).
2. Cut a seam into the bitter melon and scoop out the seeds. Stuff with filling.
3. Using just enough water to cover, boil the stuffed bitter melon until tender, upwards of half an hour. Season.

Notes:

• Curb bitterness with sugar, amount of water, or by parboiling the bitter melon (discarding water).

TODO: check out Andrea Nguyen’s recipe