Stuffed Ampalaya Recipe

Stuffed Ampalaya is a vegetable and meat dish that is composed of bitter gourd (also called bitter melon) and ground pork. The word “Ampalaya” is the Filipino term for bitter gourd. If we do some translation, this dish can also be called stuffed bitter gourd or stuffed bitter melon.

I would say that Stuffed Ampalaya is another version of the embutido. I know that it does not look like one, but the ingredients used in the ground pork mixture is pretty much the same. Although embutido is cooked differently, the taste of the meat is quite identical. The only difference is the bitter gourd, which makes the taste more bitter.

Many of us do not like the taste of bitter gourd. I was one of those people. I only forced myself to eat bitter gourd after reading an article about its health benefits (Health Benefits of Ampalaya). I started cooking bitter gourd dishes since then. Some of the best tasting ampalaya recipes that we have are Ginisang Ampalaya and Ampalaya con Carne. You should try these out.

There are some techniques applied to remove the bitter taste of ampalaya. My way is to rub some salt and let it soak for a few hours. I then rinse it with water while squeezing out the juice. Although this technique is effective in removing the bitter taste, some say that it also removes the nutrients. If you are into the health benefits of ampalaya, it recommended to consume it without taking out the juices. You will get used to it sooner or later.

Try this Stuffed Ampalaya Recipe and let me know what you think.

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Stuffed Ampalaya

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4

Author Vanjo Merano

Ingredients

• 2 pieces ampalaya about 1 to 12 inches each, cored and sliced about 2 inches
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 medium onion minced
• 3/4 cup carrots minced
• 1 cup bread shredded
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 piece raw egg

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a large bowl, combine ground pork, onion, carrots, bread, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and egg. Mix well.Set Aside.
• Stuff the mixture into the ampalaya slices.
• Grease a baking pan, and arrange the stuffed ampalaya.
• Place inside the oven, and bake for 22 to 26 minutes. Or until the meat is cooked.
• Transfer to a serving plate.
• Serve. Share and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 4g