sauteed ampalaya (bitter gourd)

As a kid, I didn't like ampalaya. What kid in her right mind would love this bitter veggie anyway? I cringed deep inside each time it was served at home because like any responsible parent, my mom made sure she made me and my siblings try it, kahit kaunti lang. And since I was eager to please, I obliged. I put on a brave face each time I took a spoonful of ampalaya. I tried my best to never let even a slight trace of disgust show on my face. Later on, I devised a way to eat it while minimizing discomfort: I didn't chew it. Ha!

But then there was this one time that my dad cooked his version of ginisang ampalaya. When I tasted it, there was very little hint of bitterness and lots of yumminess. That was when I learned to like the veggie. I didn't fear it anymore when it was served during mealtimes. So when I was old enough to cook, I did it my dad's way, which I am now sharing with you!

Ingredients

1 ampalaya (here in Singapore they only have small pieces of bitter gourd so I used three of those), sliced as thin as possible

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon patis

1 egg, beaten

salt and pepper

1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Place the amplaya slices in a colander. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt then massage them until the juices come out. This will remove some of the gourd's bitterness and make it more palatable. After massaging, rinse in running water.

2. In a pan, saute the garlic and onion in a bit of cooking oil. Once the onion is transparent, add the tomatoes. Saute until soft.

3. Add the ampalaya and patis. Saute for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper according to taste. Add 1/4 cup water and cover to simmer.

4. The water should have reduced a bit. Add the beaten egg and stir (so you don't end up with an omelet!). Remove from heat and serve.

Here at home, I usually serve this with a fried item, like pork chop or fried fish, and of course, rice.

By the way, according to my dad, my sister makes a better version of this. Now, he always says it's her specialty, and I agree.