Ampalaya with Crab Meat and Coconut
Ampalaya with Crab Meat and Coconut is a basic saute of the ampalaya, or bitter melon, together with garlic, onions, ginger, tomatoes, with hearty crab meat flakes, and a sweet-tasting sauce of coconut milk. This is a delightfully delicious and easy way to cook ampalaya and enjoy its wholesome, nutritious flavor profile. Serve as a side dish or a main. and with steamed rice. This is a recipe of The Quirino Kitchen by Elizabeth Ann Quirino.
Servings: 2 people
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Large saucepan, skillet or wok - 12 inches diameter
Ingredients
- 1 large piece (about 380 to 400 grams) ampalaya (bitter melon), sliced, white membrane removed
- 1 Tablespoon salt, for soaking ampalaya
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- `1 whole (about 40 grams) white or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 piece (1-inch) fresh ginger, peeled, sliced thin in matchsticks-sized
- `1 whole large tomato, sliced
- 1 cup cooked crab meat, flaked, canned or freshly-boiled
- 1 cup vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 container (8 ounces) coconut milk,
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For serving:
- steamed rice
Instructions
To prepare ampalaya (bitter melon):
- In a large bowl, place the sliced ampalaya. Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of salt all over. Mix well so that all the slices are coated with salt.Let the salt sit on the vegetable for 20 to 30 minutes.Rinse off the salt with water. Set the ampalaya slices aside.
To cook the Ampalaya with Crab Meat and Coconut:
- In a large skillet, saucepan or wok, over medium heat, add the oil. When oil is hot enough, saute the garlic, onions, ginger and tomatoes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes till tomatoes and onions have softened, and the aromas of the garlic and ginger are strong.
- To the skillet, add the cooked crab meat, and the ampalaya slices. Combine the ingredients.
- Pour the broth and the coconut milk. Season with black pepper.Cover and cook for about 15 to 18 minutes till the ampalaya is soft. Serve warm with steamed rice.
Cook's comments:
- To store: Keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This can keep in the freezer in a plastic container for up to 2 weeks. If it's longer than that, the sliced ampalaya tends to get soggy when thawed.Ingredient availability: Ampalaya is available in Asian markets almost all year round. Crab meat in cans is readily sold in large supermarkets all the time. Seasonings: Pre-soaking the ampalaya slices in salt already makes the dish flavored and salty enough. There is no need to add any more salt to the dish when cooking.
Nutrition
Serving: 100grams