Ginisang Ampalaya (Sauteed Bittergourd or Bitter melon)

Not too many people loves ampalaya because of its strong bitter taste. This is quite good for treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.    Researchers at Saint Louis University claim an extract from bitter melon, commonly eaten and known as karela in India, causes a chain of events which helps to kill breast cancer cells and prevents them from multiplying. 

I remember my father teaching me the right way to remove a bit of the bitter taste of bitter gourd.  He would often sliced them thinly in diagonal shapes.  He would pour tepid salt and water mixture and squeeze out the bitter taste from them...but he would always tell us not to over-squeeze so there would be a bit of bitter taste still.  My husband hasn't had this before so when I came to Australia and I chanced upon ampalaya in one of the shops, I grabbed a couple and cooked them.  He did love them and I am so happy about it.  Now, I am teaching my daughters to eat them too. 

Ingredients
2 medium size ampalaya,sliced diagonally
2 tomatoes, diced
2 eggs
1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 packet ginisa mix
1 chicken or pork or shrimp boullion cube
salt to taste

Procedure
Remove a bit of the bitterness of the ampalaya by pouring a tepid water in a bowl.  Add salt. Place the ampalaya in this mixture and squeeze a bit.  Remove the water-salt mixture.
Sautee onions, garlic and add in the ampalaya.  Put in the ginisa mix.  Do not stir too much. 
Pour in 1/2 c of water. Add in the cube.
Simmer.
Add in the eggs and stir a bit.


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