This evening, I was able to concoct 2 things.
1. My first successful Ampalaya (Bitter Gourd) Salad
2. My very own mushroom gravy
This is what I like about my kitchen, it makes my thinking broader. When I get bored I go to my pantry, grocery cabinet, then you will find me in my kitchen experimenting. I gotta be honest, I've done a lot of research through time. Notes from my mom, my grandmother, my dad, my mother-in-law and even from my husband. Cookbooks, stuff I learned taking Hotel and Restaurant Management, Food Magazines and The Food Network! But having our/ my own recipe brings out the best. Nothing can be greater than being original. It may take a lot of wasted ingredients, time and money just to nail the right taste, consistency and texture, but it's all worth it in the end and the family is happy. I'm happy!
My first attempt on bitter gourd salad wasn't as successful. And as expected it was very bitter. I really thought that slicing the fruit thinly will do. Then I was able to see the difference. When I ate at a Filipino buffet restaurant, I got some of their Bitter Gourd Salad. I noticed that aside from the thin slices , the slices itself were a bit dry too. So I assumed, they got rid of the juice.
And so I tried it this evening, for dinner. I squeezed the juice out in order to get rid of the bitter taste. But I didn't squeeze all the way. I wanted a little bit of the bitter taste to stay. The bitterness is the source why Bitter Gourd is a healthy vegetable or a fruit for some.
Mixed it with some balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, tomato and onion slices.
12 comments:
looks yummy! congrats....sarap naman ng mushroom gravy mo!
Before I don't eat Ampalaya. I'll any other veggie except for this one. But I when I got married, I learned to appreciate it. Because this is my husband's favorite. Who wouldn't learn to eat this veggie if ones or twice a week we have this.
Pero I really ask other mommies how to remove the bitter taste, kahit kaunti. One technique I learned was to sprinkle salt after slicing it, the drain it... mejo nawala nga.
I love to know your recipe for the mushroom gravy because my daughter loves Jollibee's Burger steak.
Congrats on the gravy! I can't seem to get the right recipe. About the ampalaya, my friend's mom puts salt on the sliced ampalaya and let it stay for 5-10mins. Then she'll rinse it off and surely, it's not bitter anymore when cooked. I guess kanya-kanyang style ito :D
we also make the ampalaya salad but we wash it with salted water before squeezing it dry.Para di mapait..
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The Peach Kitchen
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You always have yummy food here mommy enchie. Galing mo talaga sa kusina pang chef.
@ Mommy Cecile thanks will be visiting you soon :)
@ Mylene and Peachy thanks for the tip, will put salt before squeezing it next time :D
@ Mylene I'll post the recipe for the mushroom gravy soon stand by
@ Sreisaat thanks will take note of washing the salt ;)
@ Shy naku thanks so much, dami ko ng utang na visits sayo :)
My dad used to make Kinilaw na Ampalaya and I assume it's the same as "salad", so anyway, his way of getting rid of some of its bitterness is to ,yeha, thin sliced and squeezed it in rock salt. I never had a chance to tasted it bec I only eat Ampalaya when it's cooked but according to him, it taste good! :)
Happy Friday,Enchie!
Yes, that's what I would have suggested, salt and warm water.
gustong gusto ko ng ampalaya. i love the bitter taste of it.I am waiting for the gravy recipe too.
Thumbs up Enchie your food is healthy and looks so inviting.I thought I was in a food magazine!!! Happy weekend!
hi ate enchie! naku, ako din I squeeze some of the juice too and with a dash of salt before I do.. hubby is not a veggie eater, but when he tasted my ginisang amplaya, he loved it! nagulat lahat ng in-laws ko.. hahaha!!! though I haven't tried making it a salad yet... but I would love eating them, I'm sure!
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