Learn to make Stir-Fried Bitter Melon and Eggplant and enjoy the health benefits of these unique Asian vegetables. Seasoned with savory Japanese miso and warm ginger, this vegan-friendly dish pairs beautifully with hot steamed rice.
This Stir-Fried Bitter Melon and Eggplant with Miso celebrates the unique and mighty vegetables that are highly appreciated in many Asian homes!
While I didn’t grow up liking bitter melon and eggplant, I’ve grown to love them—not just because they are incredibly good for you, but also for their distinctive texture and flavor. Do you have a similar experience?
When cooked right and seasoned well, the combination of bitter melon and eggplant makes a beautiful dish. If you love both vegetables, this recipe is for you! It is simple yet absolutely delicious. For those who wish to expand their palate for Japanese vegetables, I’d love for you to give this a try!
Table of Contents
About Bitter Melon
Both bitter melon and eggplant are used across various Asian cuisines, including East Asian, Southeast Asian, and South Asian recipes.
They are among those vegetables that often get mixed reactions. One has a bitter taste, and the other has a spongy texture. Kids typically aren’t fond of them, which is understandable.
Since most people are familiar with eggplant, I’ll talk more about bitter melon here. Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd and goya, is technically a green fruit related to other vining cucurbits like cucumbers, zucchini, winter melons, and pumpkins. It’s the bitterness in the melon that earns it the name of superfood.
When I was young, I would hear my mom sing praises of its medicinal properties. I had no idea what specific benefits it had, but now I know it is packed with many important nutrients and has the potential to lower cholesterol and blood sugar. The Okinawans know a thing or two about bitter melon, as it is their staple food!
Are you curious? You can learn more about the health benefits of bitter melon here and here. It is pretty impressive!
Why You’ll Enjoy This Recipe
If you have cooked bitter melon and eggplant before, you know that it can be tricky, but my method of preparation and seasonings enhance their distinctive characteristics.
The dish also reminds me of the essence of ‘mom-style’ cooking, as we focus on nourishment without sacrificing flavor. It’s easy, full of umami, and so good for you!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bitter melon — There are a few varieties of bitter melon. Choose the smaller size with lots of bumps. The skin should look fresh and shiny green.
- Japanese eggplant — Japanese eggplant has richer and more vibrant purple skin, but you can sub with Chinese eggplant if that’s what you can find.
- Ginger
- Neutral oil
- Seasonings: Miso, mirin, soy sauce, sake
How to Make Stir-Fried Bitter Melon and Eggplant
- Prepare the ingredients. Mix the seasonings in a bowl, cut the ginger and bitter melon.
- Heat a large pan, add oil, and stir-fry the bitter melon for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and transfer the bitter melon to a dish.
- Cut the eggplant right before cooking(See Recipe Card on the cutting technique).
- Heat the pan again, add oil, and stir-fry the eggplant.
- Cover, reduce the heat, and steam the eggplant until tender.
- Uncover, add the minced ginger, and quickly stir.
- Add the bitter melon back to the pan and stir to combine.
- Add the seasonings, and give everything a quick stir again. It’s ready to serve!
Recipe Tips and Techniques
- Thinly slice the bitter melon to a similar thickness so it cooks quickly and evenly.
- Cut the eggplant right before cooking to prevent discoloration. Also, cut it using a Japanese cutting technique called rangiri. This ensures each piece gets coated with oil easily and the inside gets cooked faster.
- Heat the wok until it’s hot before adding the vegetables for stir-frying so they sear nicely.
- As this is a stir-fry dish, you want to move the vegetables quickly and make sure each piece comes in contact with the oil and the heat of the wok.
How to Store
Stir-fries are best enjoyed hot and fresh right after they are tossed in the wok. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
The Miso I Used in This Recipe
For this recipe, I used Hikari Miso’s 3-Year Aged Miso as my main flavor seasoning. The miso’s aroma and deep savoriness beautifully complement the bitter melon and eggplant, thanks to their robust flavors and complex fermentation.
You can use other types of miso, but I definitely recommend this rich and bold-tasting miso for a flavorful stir-fry.
What to Serve with This Dish
This Stir-Fried Bitter Melon and Eggplant is wonderful when served in an ichiju sansai (“one soup, three dishes”) meal. You can serve it with other Asian meals in a similar format too.
- Rice – Steamed Rice, Brown Rice
- Soup – Japanese Egg Drop Soup, Miso Soup
- Main – Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Eggs, Miso Salmon, Garlic Onion Chicken, Honey Soy Chicken
- Sides – Pickled Daikon, Everyday Japanese Pickle, Spicy Japanese Pickle
Also, don’t forget to try my favorite dishes that feature bitter melon and eggplant!
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Stir-Fried Bitter Melon and Eggplant with Miso
Ingredients
- 4 inches bitter melon (bitter gourd or goya) (I use ½ of the Chinese variety that has pale green skin with smooth bumps)
- 2 Japanese eggplants (or 1 Chinese eggplant, which is typically longer)
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil (divided; plus more, if needed)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. Please note that I used half a bitter melon for this recipe.
To Prepare the Ingredients
- Combine 1 Tbsp miso, 1 Tbsp mirin, ½ Tbsp soy sauce, and ½ Tbsp sake in a bowl and mix together. Set aside.
- Peel and slice 1 inch ginger diagonally into very thin oval pieces, then stack and slice them lengthwise into thin julienne strips. Set aside some of the julienned ginger for the topping, then mince the rest of the strips.
- Cut 4 inches bitter melon (bitter gourd or goya) in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon. Thinly slice the bitter melon crosswise into pieces ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
To Stir-Fry
- Heat a large pan on medium-high heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and distribute it. When the oil is hot, add the bitter melon.
- Stir-fry on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and transfer the bitter melon to a dish.
- Discard the tops of 2 Japanese eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise. Slice the eggplant diagonally, rotating a quarter turn after each cut. This Japanese cutting technique is called rangiri. Tip: We cut the eggplant right before cooking so it doesn‘t change color. If you want to cut ahead of time, soak the cut pieces in water to prevent discoloration, then dry with a clean towel before stir-frying.
- Heat the large pan again over medium-high heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and distribute it in the pan. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant.
- Stir and coat with the oil, and then cover. Reduce the heat to low and let it steam until the eggplant is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Uncover, add the minced ginger, and quickly stir.
- Add the bitter melon back to the pan and quickly stir.
- Add the seasonings and quickly stir.
To Serve
- Transfer to a serving plate. Top with the julienned ginger and enjoy.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
This combination sounds very interesting. I will definitely try it.
Hi, Ron! Thank you for reading Nami’s post.
We hope you enjoy this recipe.🙂 Please let us know how it goes if you give it a try! Happy cooking!