Ginisang Ampalaya is bitter and yet very delicious when properly prepared. You can also enjoy its many health benefits. I remember when I was a little boy I used to hate this dish due to its strong bitter taste and now whenever I see an ampalaya on a produce shelf my mouth starts to water.
Ginisang Ampalaya
Ginisang Ampalaya does require some preparation before cooking to tame down the bitterness, but once you do it is truly mouth-watering.
Ingredients:
- 3 Medium sized Ampalaya
- 1 Lb. of pork belly cut in 1 in. cubes
- ½ Lb. of Shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
- 2 Tbs. Bagoong alamang (fermented shrimp pasted)
- 2 Tbs. Soy sauce
- 1 Tsp. MSG, vetsin – optional
- 1 Small Onion, sliced crosswise
- 1 Small tomato, diced
- 3 Cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
- 3 Tbs. Corn oil for stir-frying
Directions:
For Ampalaya – Bitter Melon or Bitter Gourd
- Prepare Ampalaya by cutting it in half lengthwise and removing the seeds.
- Make sure you scrape the white stuff off also.
- Slice it ¼ of an inch thick diagonally and place in a bowl large enough to fit all of it.
- Next smother it with plenty of salt and add water just above the ampalaya and let it soak for 20 minutes.
- After soaking rinse it thoroughly and make sure all the salt has been rinsed off.
- In a wok heat oil and add garlic.
- Cook until golden brown and then add the pork.
- Let it cook for 3 minutes without stirring.
- Next add the tomatoes, onions, and bagoong alamang.
- Let it cook for 3 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Then add the soy sauce and the ampalaya stir, cover, and let simmer on medium low heat for 6 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Place the ampalaya in a serving bowl.
- Cover and let it stand for 5 minutes before eating.
- Serve with white rice. Enjoy!
Also try my Ampalaya Con Carne!
Tip 1:
Ampalaya are seldom mixed with other vegetables due to their strong bitter taste, although this can be moderated to some extent by salting and then washing the cut Ampalaya before use.
Tip 2:
After cooking let it sit for at least 5 minutes before serving. This will also help tame the bitter taste while giving the flavor time to blend in.
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I really loved to cook even I was little,I used to helped & watched my mom as she prepares our meal.What I really wanted to learn from her dishes are the “ginisang ampalaya”,”menudo” (without commercial tomato sauce) & “ginisang puso ng saging”.I tried to create my own version out of my mom’s recipes but it didn’t turn out well.Now that I have family of my own,I wanted to share it with my kids who loves to eat vegetables instead of junk foods & other fats & sweets.After few attempts my kids says,it dosen’t taste like their lola’s way,that’s why I checked your website maybe this is the answers to my prayers.Thanks for your helpful tips regarding the best recipes that we can served to our family’s food table.
yummy… you can do it without the MSG…
salamat po sa recipe guzto ko kac ng mfa ibang luto pa sa ampalaya maliban sa ginisa? T.Y po Ul8 Gud”bless
hay naku, nagluto na naman ako ng amplaya at wala pa ding improvement, hindi masyadong nakakain ang anak ko kasi mapait ang lasa. noon kasi nagkasakit ako ng anemia so kinailangan kong kumain ng amplaya so nagluto ang lolo kong Kapampangan, so, napakasarap ng luto nya. pinanood ko ang pagluluto nya pero hindi ko talaga magaya man lang. ang gawa nya kasi is pinipiga sa asin ang ampalaya, noon ganun ang gawa ko so hindi mapait pero nawawala naman ang sustansya, may nakilala ako ang sabi nya hindi na kailangang pigain sa tubig na may asin ang ampalaya, para daw hindi mapait ang kalabasan, pag pinatong ang amplaya, huwag itong haluin kasi nga papait. ginawa ko ngyon pero mapait pa din, a aking panlasa okay naman sa akin pero sa anak ko at asawa ko hindi sila nasarapan. I am trying very hard to please them when it comes to cooking. nahihiya ako sa asawa ko kasi, sa aming 2 siya ang masarap magluto pero ciempre trabaho ko yun e, pareho kaming walang work pero dapata tulong kami sa trabahong bahay, pag hindi masarap ang luto alam ng anak ko ako ang may gawa. i will try your recipe, allergic ako sa bagoong pero I will try to put cge. i will get back to you kng na perfect ko ang dish pero kung hindi ako nag revert, hay naku ulit!
This is the best! I love it! I tried a lot of pork ampalaya recipes but this one is the best! Im cooking it right now and I am already salivating…I havent even finished yet…lol
Thanks a lot!
Hello po, first time ko din mag luto ng ginisang ampalaya.. sana pala eto ang recipe na in follow ko, kasi yung ginawa ko, di ko na scrape lahat ng puti ng amapalaya.. kaya medyo mapait.. hehe. may pagka crunchy din yung nagawa ko :'(( next time talaga etong recipe na ‘to ang susundan ko.. it looks good eh.. thank you po.. 🙂
i love ginisang ampalaya for breakfast, mom’s usually cook this for us
…i reli love ginisang ampalaya..il try ds recipe..tnx
pwede rin po na lagyan ng gata (coconut milk) to lessen the effect of bitterness ng ampalaya. hindi rin sya ginataang ampalaya.try to cook the coconut milk na para ba syang magiging latik na.pero white pa rin then ilagay ang ginisa na ampalaya..then, swak na sa panlasa..
Hi manong04,
Thanks for sharing your method with us. The more ideas we have the better we can cook.
God bless!
Robert Colinares