Ampalaya with Black Beans (Tausi)

Ampalaya with Black Beans is a delicious bitter melon vegetable dish with beef and salted black beans (tausi). Bitter melon is the English term for ampalaya. It is best consume when crisp, with a bit of crunch when you bite into it.

Due to its bitterness, some people are deterred into eating this vegetable. The trick to reduce its bitterness is to soak it in warm water with salt before cooking.

Cooking with salted black beans gives any dish a savory flavor. Aside from the usual Ginisang Ampalaya, try this easy and simple Ampalaya with Black Beans recipe. Salted black beans pairs well with ampalaya,  fish, meat and seafood. 

How to reduce ampalaya’s (bitter melon) bitterness

1. Wash and cut the ampalaya in half, lengthwise. 
2. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds and the white stuff.
3. Slice diagonally about ⅓ an inch thick.
4. In a big bowl, warm water in the microwave (not too hot) and stir-in salt. For 2 cups of water, add 1 teaspoon salt.
5. Fully submerge sliced ampalaya in salt mixture for about ½ hour or longer before cooking.
6. Drain water and place it in running cold water to get rid of the salt.
7. Now, it is ready for cooking. Pat dry with paper towel.

Video

More ampalaya (bitter melon) vegetable recipe

Ginisang Ampalaya with Pork
Ampalaya Atchara

Recipe

Ampalaya with Black Beans (Tausi)

Ampalaya with Black Beans is a delicious bitter melon vegetable dish with beef and salted black beans (tausi). Bitter melon is the English term for ampalaya.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 3

Calories: 244kcal

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized bitter melon
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ½ pound beef sliced thinly
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 thumb ginger julienned
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons salted black beans tausi, discard liquid
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 1 teaspoon water mix
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Soak bitter melon in warm water with salt for at least 30 minutes or longer.
• Marinate beef in 1 teaspoon soy sauce & 2 teaspoons cornstarch for 1 hour in the fridge.
• In a pan, heat oil over medium – low heat.
• Fry bitter melon for 30 to 45 seconds each side. Remove from pan. Set aside.
• On the same pan, saute beef until light brown. Remove and set aside.
• Saute onion, ginger and garlic.
• Stir-in black beans (tausi). Cook for a minute.
• Toss-in beef and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
• Add 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and ½ teaspoon sugar.
• Add ½ cup water.
• Dilute 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 1 teaspoon water.
• Pour over mixture to thicken sauce.
• Stir-in bitter melon for a minute.
• Turn off heat and transfer dish to a serving plate so bitter melon does not overcook.
• Serve hot with lots of rice. Enjoy!

Notes

1. Keep ampalaya (bitter melon) crisp with a crunch, not overcooked.
2. Store leftover for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and warm it in the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 482mg | Potassium: 396mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 146IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg