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in article , Frogleg at
wrote on 1/1/04 8:45 am:

> On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 03:13:23 GMT, Blanche Nonken >
> wrote:
>
>> Three nice, fresh "melons" (more like warty, nobbly cucumbers) slightly
>> longer than 12 inches long after cleaning and slicing yielded 5
>> half-pints. I salted them down last night, rinsed well this morning
>> then blanched them before canning. There was enough residual salt left
>> in the melon to salt the water.
>>
>> 40 minutes left them a little pale, but not mushy-looking. I'll make
>> that recipe in the next few days, and I'll let you all know how they
>> came out.
>
> Please post recipe. I grew bitter mellon one year, but couldn't find
> much to do with them.
OT Bitter melon with beef
from Craig Claiborne and Virginia Lee " the Chinese Cookbook"
1 bitter melonn,3/4 lb
5 tablespoons fermented salted black beans
3 tablespoons water
5 to 10 small fresh red or green long hot peppers3 cloves garlic, peeled and
flattened but left whole
3/4 pound flank steak
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
peanut, vegetable or corn oil
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
salt to taste
1 tablespoon dry sherry or shao hsing wine

1. trim off and discard the ends of the bitter melon split the vegetable in
half. Place each half cut side down and cut into thin slices, about 1/4
inch. Using paring knife or melon ball cutter, cut out and discard the
white center portion of each slice. Reserve the pieces of green outer shell
2. Bring to boil enough water to cover the bitter melon Drop the slices in
and cook 3 minutes drain and run under cold running water drain well.
3. soak the black beans in the water and crush them lightly with the back of
a spoon. set aside
4. cut off the stem ends of the peppers and slice in half. Remove seeds
and julienne. come with garlic and set aside.
5. Put beef on flat surface and cut into thinnest possible slices Put
slices into mixing bowl and add cornstarch, 1 tablespoon oil and soy sauce
6. Heat 1 cup oil and when hot but not smoking, add the beef and cook,
stirring to separate the slices. Cook only about 20 to 30 seconds. drain
into a sieve lined bowl to catch the drippings
7Heat 3 tablespoons of oil and add the black beans. stir. Add the pepper
strips ad garlic and cook about 15 seconds, stirring add the bitter melon
and cook about 30 second, stirring Stir in sugar and then salt. cook and
stir about 15 second, then add the wine.
8Add the beef and cook, stirring, just to heat through

I realize you can't can this. Other recipes sstuff the blanced rings with
group pork or shrimp paste.

Ellen