Bitter melon with eggs, or 苦瓜炒蛋 (kǔ guā chǎo dàn), is a homestyle Chinese stir fry I cook with thin slices of fresh bitter melon, soft scrambled egg, and a single pinch of salt. The plate shows up next to a braised main and a bowl of steamed rice, the way Chinese families thin out a richer table with one fresh clean-tasting vegetable.
I have to confess that I did not like bitter melon as a kid. I would push the slices to the side of my rice bowl and reach straight for winter melon soup instead. I came around the way I came around to black coffee, slowly, then all at once, and the egg version is the one that brought me over because the soft scramble takes the sharp edge down without burying the vegetable.
When my husband and I lived in Beacon, New York, for two short years, I planted bitter melon in our small backyard. The deer, groundhogs, and rabbits worked their way through everything I grew except the bitter melon, which I joked was so sharp even the woodland animals would not touch it. Ha! If you want a fresh Chinese side that puts a vegetable on the table in 15 minutes and resets the palate between bites of a heavier main, follow my directions below, the recipe walks you through the blanch decision, the egg pull, and the final fold. Now is the perfect time to make this recipe while bitter melon is in season!
Benefit of bitter melon
One of the reasons I keep bitter melon on my weeknight stir fry list is what it does for the body, not just the plate. The pods are packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, and fiber, and Chinese cooks have used bitter melon in Traditional Chinese Medicine for generations to help bring down blood sugar, support cholesterol levels, and prevent iron deficiency. My mom served it to me growing up the same way new mothers in China still eat it during postpartum care, as a quiet, nutrient-dense vegetable that does real work while you eat.
Ingredients
I’m not kidding when I say I only use 5 ingredients to make this delicious and nutritious Bitter Melon with Eggs recipe. Here are the ingredients I use:
Eggs: I beat them with a pinch of salt right before they go in the pan.
Green onion: The slices go in ahead of the bitter melon to infuse the oil, and carry a quiet allium layer that ties the egg and the vegetable together.
Salt: A single pinch. I keep the seasoning simple because the tender egg already softens the bitter edge, and I want the vegetable to taste like the vegetable. Sometimes I also add a small amount of chicken bouillon powder to further enhance the flavor, like what Chinese restaurants do.
Peanut oil: I split it across the egg pass and the vegetable pass. Peanut oil holds at a high stir fry heat. If I am out, I go for a neutral oil with a high smoke point.
Bitter melon: I look for a firm, heavy pod with sharp ridges. Smaller, younger pods are more tender and less sharp, which is what I reach for when I cook this dish for someone new to the vegetable. Below is how I prep it:
1. I cut each pod in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and the white spongy core with a small spoon.
2. Slice into thin half-moons.
How to Make
1. Blanch the bitter melon if you want a softer edge: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, drop the sliced bitter melon in for about 30 seconds, then drain and rinse under cold tap water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat the pieces dry with paper towels so the pan does not steam later. Skip this step when the pods are very young and in season.
2. Scramble the eggs: Heat half the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the surface shimmers, pour in the beaten egg, and stir lightly with a spatula. Pull the egg off the heat the moment it sets, still soft, and slide it onto a plate.
3. Bloom the green onion: Add the rest of the oil to the same pan, drop in the sliced green onion, and stir for a few seconds.
4. Stir fry the bitter melon: Add the bitter melon and the salt, then stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the slices soften. If the pods are tough, splash in a tablespoon of water, drop a lid on the pan for a minute, then lift it and finish the stir fry.
5. Fold the egg back in: Return the scrambled egg to the pan and stir everything together for a few seconds, just long enough for the egg to warm through, then slide the whole thing onto a plate.
6. Serve: I usually serve this dish with a few of my favorite sides. Check out my serving suggestions below for some of my favorite pairings.
Cooking Notes
Pick the smallest pods at the market: Big mature bitter melons taste much sharper, and the seed cavity takes up more of the pod. Young pods are tender, less sharp, and faster to cook.
Salt the slices for 10 minutes when skipping the blanch: A light salt cure draws water out, takes the bitter edge down, and shortens the stir fry time. I rinse and pat dry before the pan.
Pull the egg out of the pan undercooked: The egg returns at the end and finishes there. Fully cooking the egg in step 2 turns it rubbery by the time the dish reaches the table.
Use the same pan for the egg and the vegetable: The small browned bits the egg leaves behind season the green onion and the bitter melon when they meet the same surface.
Taste before pulling the bitter melon off the stove: If it still bites too hard, a splash of water and a quick covered minute mellows it without making it soggy. If it tastes balanced already, I stop right there.
How I Like to Serve
Most of the time, I serve bitter melon with eggs as a side next to a heavier main. The dish cuts through a rich braise the way a fresh salad cuts through a roast, and a small spoonful on the side of a rice bowl resets the palate between richer bites. On a weeknight at home, this goes fantastic with a hong shao rou, and a bowl of steamed jasmine rice.
A typical Sunday at our place I love placing mom’s braised pork spare ribs or braised chicken with mushrooms as the centerpiece, vegetable fried rice for the carb, and the bitter melon plate as the green. If I want a second vegetable on the table, I add bok choy and mushroom stir fry or air fryer Chinese eggplant so the table has two different vegetable textures. So good!
Frequently Ask Questions
Which type of bitter melon should I use?
Chinese bitter melon is the best choice for this recipe. It’s larger, lighter green, and has a gentler bitterness than the smaller, darker Indian variety.
Do I have to blanch the bitter melon?
I blanch the pods when I am cooking with mature store-bought bitter melon, or when someone at my table is new to the vegetable. The blanch knocks the sharpness back and shortens the stir fry time. When I have young bitter melon picked early in the season, I skip the blanch and cook the slices straight in the pan because they are already tender and mild. Personally, I skip the blanching most of the time because I do not mind the bitterness and I prefer to speed up my cooking.
Why is my bitter melon still too sharp after cooking?
Two simple steps help tame the bitterness. First, toss the sliced bitter melon with salt and let it sit for 10 minutes. This draws out excess moisture and some of the bitterness, and the slices can then be rinsed before cooking. For an even milder flavor, you can briefly blanch the bitter melon before stir-frying. That said, bitter melon will always retain some of its signature bitterness, no matter how it’s prepared. If you don’t enjoy bitter flavors at all, this dish is probably not for you.
Can I add meat?
Yes, bitter melon works very well with meat as well. I like to use shrimp in this dish. Simply pan fried the shrimp with some salt, take it out, then add back with the eggs. If using other protein such as beef and chicken, check out my bitter melon stir fry with beef, where I used a brown sauce to bring everything together.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus get great new recipes from us every week!
Bitter Melon with Eggs
Ingredients
- 2 (total 1 lb ) bitter melons , seeds removed and sliced to 1/4” (5 mm) thick pieces
- 3 eggs , beaten with a pinch of salt
- 1 green onion , sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste) (*Footnote 2)
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the bitter melon. Blanch for 30 seconds. Drain immediately and rinse the bitter melon with cold tap water to stop cooking. Drain thoroughly again and pat dry with paper towels. (*Footnote 1)
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a medium-sized skillet and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the beaten egg. Lightly scramble and cook until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and the green onion. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
- Add the bitter melon and sprinkle with the salt (*Footnote 2). Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until starting to soften. Taste the bitter melon. If it’s still very tough, add a splash of water and cover the pan for 1 minute to steam it.
- Add back the cooked eggs. Cook and stir to mix well. Transfer everything to a plate and serve as a side.
Notes
- It’s important to blanch the bitter melon if you’re using full-grown bitter melon or prefer a less bitter taste. When bitter melon is in season, or if you’re using homegrown bitter melon, it will have a tenderer and crisper texture with less bitter taste. In this case, it’s OK to skip the blanching process.
- I sometimes like to use 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder with a pinch of salt to season the dish too boost the flavor.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating ⭐️ and share your thoughts in the comments further down the page. It really helps others discover the recipe too.
Mo
Thanks… I’m experimenting with new healthy foods and saw this on a grocery shelf. I had heard of it before and was curious. Not bad at all. I added a dash of Soy sauce and a few drops of Sesame oil to make it more East Asian. Had it with rice noodles and some home made hot chili sauce.