A bitter melon canoe

There is something amazingly seductive about bitter melon. Appreciating its bitter taste is itself a culture, comparable to the tea culture in China and that of wine in Italy. Having been eating it stir-fried for a while, I am beginning to crave for a change. What about making a toy out of the food! This time, I decide to make a canoe out of the bitter melon. To keep the melon juicy, I'd give it a thin coating of meat spread and Genovese pesto. Pesto is an Italian sauce of fresh basil, garlic, olive oil and salt. By itself, it already has a rich flavor, so the dish does not need extra seasoning.


Recipe: Bitter melon boat with pork and pesto (make 4)


Ingredients:
- 1 small bitter melon, quartered longitudinally and removed of seeds
- 2 tablespoon (TB) lean minced pork
- 1 TB fine bread crumbs (optional)
- dash of sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
- water
- 2 TB pesto sauce
- 2 cherry tomatoes


Procedure:
Mix minced pork, 1 TB pesto sauce and bread crumbs with equal portion of water. Add cornstarch and sugar. Mix well to form a smooth paste. Spread very thinly on the interior of each slice of bitter melon. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until pork is cooked. The bitter melon should be semi-cooked and juicy. Spread a thin coat of pesto sauce on the meat. Top with half a cherry tomato. It's unbelievable how the sweet and sour taste of that tiny cherry tomato strikes a contrast with the rest of the flavors!