Photograph of the finished Beef with Bitter Melon and Red Cabbage

Vietnam · Bò xào khổ qua bắp cải tím

Beef with Bitter Melon and Red Cabbage

30 min Hands-on time + 20 min waiting
EasyDifficulty
6 stepsSteps
Serves 4 Amounts follow along 4

What to get ready

  • Photograph of Beef Beef 2.5 lb
  • Photograph of Bitter melon Bitter melon 1.8 lb
  • Photograph of Purple cabbage Purple cabbage 1.3 lb
  • Photograph of Garlic Garlic 20 cloves
  • Photograph of Oyster sauce Oyster sauce ⅓ cup
  • Photograph of Cornstarch Cornstarch 2.1 oz
  • Photograph of Oil Oil ⅔ cup
  • Photograph of Onion Onion 1.2
  • Photograph of Black pepper Black pepper 0.6 oz
  • Photograph of Spring onion Spring onion 2.8 oz
  • Photograph of Steamed rice Steamed rice 1.8 lb

Method

  1. 1 Slice the bitter melon thinly, then toss with salt for 10 minutes and squeeze out the bitter juice.
  2. 2 Shred the purple cabbage and soak it in cold water with a little vinegar to prevent the purple color from fading.
  3. 3 Soaking purple cabbage in vinegar helps it retain its color; stir-frying it directly will cause it to turn a very unattractive grayish-green.
  4. 4 Marinate thinly sliced beef with cornstarch and oyster sauce for 20 minutes, then stir-fry over high heat for 90 seconds and remove from the pan.
  5. 5 Sauté the garlic, then add the bitter melon and onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
  6. 6 Add the purple cabbage and beef, then stir-fry for exactly 40 seconds to keep the cabbage crisp and retain its color.
Start cooking