Canh Bi Noi Thit Heo- Vietnamese Stuffed Fuzzy Melon With Pork
This Vietnamese “Canh” aka clear soup is so savory yet light. Fuzzy melon is peeled and stuffed with a filling of ground pork, mushroom, and mung bean noodles. Fresh herbs like Chinese chives and cilantro adds a fresh aromatic fragrance. Similarly you can also use bitter melon as well which is called “Canh Kho Qua”.
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium fuzzy melon (peeled)
1/4 cup rehydrated wood-ear mushrooms (soaked in warm water 15 min, and drained, chopped into small 1/2” sections)
1/2 bundle of mung bean thread noodles (soaked in warm water 15 min, and drained, chop into 1” sections, yields about 1/3 cup)
1/3 lb ground pork
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Broth:
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1-2 tsp fish sauce (*optional to taste)
1/2 tsp mushroom or vegetable powder (optional to taste, or 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder for added flavoring)
Garnish:
Chives (chopped into 1” sections)
Cilantro (loosely chopped)
Black pepper
PREPARATION
Marinate pork with salt, black pepper and mix in rehydrated chopped noodles and rehydrated chopped mushrooms.
Peel melon, cut into 2-3” sections and use a knife and/or spoon to spoon out the inside of the melon.
Stuff meat into melon chunks.
Bring the water to a boil in a pot and add salt and pepper to season.
Add the stuffed bitter melons into soup.
Let it come to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes until melons tender and pork is cooked through.
Taste and add sal, sugar, and fish sauce to taste. If it’s too salty add more water to dilute.
Remove from heat, stir in chives and add cilantro and black pepper to garnish upon plating into bowls.