Bitter Melon & Pork Soup

By Micki Brown

Serves 4

Category,
Yields1 Serving
 1 lb lean ground pork
 2 bitter melons, quartered lengthwise, seeds and pulp discarded, then sliced
 1 cup sliced carrots
 1 large handful small okra, sliced
 6 cups chicken broth
 ½ tsp garlic powder
 ¼ tsp black pepper
 2 tsp soy sauce
 2 tsp fish sauce
 ¼ cup raw honey
 4 green onions, sliced
1

In a Dutch oven, brown the ground pork.

2

When nearly cooked through, add the garlic and simmer for about 30 seconds.

3

Add the melons, carrots, okra, broth, pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce and honey

4

Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the melon and carrots are tender. Add the green onions

5

Serve over brown short-grain rice.

Note: Bitter melon is very bitter. The honey in the recipe mellows it out quite a bit, but it still retains some bitterness. Adjust the honey according to your tastes. Using lemon juice can help to mellow the bitterness, as can adding ketchup as a condiment.

Ingredients

 1 lb lean ground pork
 2 bitter melons, quartered lengthwise, seeds and pulp discarded, then sliced
 1 cup sliced carrots
 1 large handful small okra, sliced
 6 cups chicken broth
 ½ tsp garlic powder
 ¼ tsp black pepper
 2 tsp soy sauce
 2 tsp fish sauce
 ¼ cup raw honey
 4 green onions, sliced

Directions

1

In a Dutch oven, brown the ground pork.

2

When nearly cooked through, add the garlic and simmer for about 30 seconds.

3

Add the melons, carrots, okra, broth, pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce and honey

4

Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the melon and carrots are tender. Add the green onions

5

Serve over brown short-grain rice.

Note: Bitter melon is very bitter. The honey in the recipe mellows it out quite a bit, but it still retains some bitterness. Adjust the honey according to your tastes. Using lemon juice can help to mellow the bitterness, as can adding ketchup as a condiment.

Bitter Melon & Pork Soup
IngredientsDirections