If you’ve been looking at photos of my meals, you might be wondering why the bitter gourd looks different. Well, I’m actually using a different variety—though it still belongs to the same gourd family.
In English, this specific vegetable is actually called snake gourd, though we often liken its shape to an eel. Regardless, it is still a type of gourd. So, this recipe is all about stuffed gourd; you can use any hollow gourd variety for this filling.
For this recipe, I’m using a chicken filling—similar to what you’d find in dim sum or chicken meatballs. You could even call it a "healthy dim sum" since it doesn't use flour-based dumpling wrappers. Instead, the vegetable itself acts as the wrapper for the chicken filling, making it much healthier.
Stuffed bitter gourd is very popular in my area, usually filled with meatball paste. How about in your area? Do you have your own variations of stuffed gourd dishes?
I still have a huge supply of snake gourds from my garden, so I decided to make stuffed gourd. I’m using a chicken filling, and these can even be frozen to keep as a healthy snack on hand.
THE INGREDIENTS
- 250 grams chicken breast fillet
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2–3 gourds (depending on size)
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
First, I prepare the gourds. Cut them into sections about 3–4 cm tall. Don't cut them too short, as you want enough space to properly fill them with the chicken mixture.
Next, scoop out the inside of the gourds so you're left with just the outer flesh. You should end up with hollow gourd rings once the inner pulp is removed.
Then, prepare the chicken filling. Get a food processor ready and add all the ingredients. Chicken breast fillet, egg, flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend them together until they form a nice filling mixture.
Start filling the prepared gourd pieces. Then, arrange them in a steamer basket. Don't forget to preheat the steamer as you finish filling the gourd pieces with the chicken mixture.
Steam the stuffed gourd for 15 minutes. I didn't expect the chicken filling to rise and puff out of the gourd pieces—hehehe,
I laughed when I saw the shapes; they looked like nothing I’d ever seen before! :D
SERVING
I have some homemade spicy tomato sauce, so I served the stuffed gourd with that. You can use your own favorite sauce to serve this dish.
The type of gourd I used is the non-bitter snake gourd, so I find this healthy dim sum dish truly delicious—unlike stuffed bitter melon, which has a bitter taste.
Arrange the stuffed gourd on a serving plate and garnish with the homemade sauce to make it look lovely. I’m happy to explore this healthy recipe; it’s high in protein and makes great use of the produce from my garden.
Best Regards,
Anggrek Lestari
Anggrek Lestari is an Indonesian fiction writer who has published two major books. Now She is a full-time content creator. She has a goal to share life, poem, and food content that makes others happy and can get inspiration.
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