Goya Champuru, the dish that I’m making for this challenge, certainly reflects the Okinawan mindset when it comes to food. This is made with goya and stir-fried with eggs and other ingredients like tofu, pork belly, or luncheon meat. Goya, also known as nigauri in mainland Japan, is the Okinawan name for bitter melon.
Okinawans credit healthy eating habits as a factor to their longevity. They use the term nuchigusui, meaning “medicine of life,” which is a philosophical concept used to refer to cuisine and other aspects of life in Okinawa.
This is a traditional stir fried dish from Okinawa. It is usually made with bitter melon (goya), eggs, tofu, and pork. Luncheon meat or spam can be substituted for pork.
Cut the bitter melon (goya) lengthwise, and using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and scrape off the inner white pith.
Slice into ⅛ inch (3–4 mm) thickness. Sprinkle the salt and sugar and rub all over the bitter melon (goya) slices. Let it stand for at least 15 minutes.
Once done, rinse with water and drain thoroughly.
For the others:
Place the tofu over a paper towel and cover with another paper towel.
Press down on the tofu to squeeze out as much water as possible. Cut the tofu into big pieces. Set aside.
For the pork belly, slice into 2 inch pieces. Sprinkle salt over the pork and set aside.
For the sauce:
Combine the hot water and bonito flakes in a small bowl. Remove the bonito flakes just before cooking.
Mix the other sauce ingredients except for the salt and pepper.
To cook:
In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.
Add the tofu and fry until each side is brown. Don't turn the tofu frequently to avoid breaking up the tofu. Once done, set aside.
In the same pan, add the pork slices and fry until brown. Add a pinch of pepper and stir well.
Add the bitter melon (goya) slices and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bitter melon (goya) slices are a bit translucent.
Add back the tofu and stir well.
Add the sauce and the bonito flakes mixture. Cook for a minute, stirring frequently to coat the ingredients with the sauce.
Once the sauce has evaporated a bit, season with salt and pepper if required.
Pour the beaten eggs on to the pan and cook until the egg is less runny. Mix the egg and the other ingredients briefly.
Turn off the heat and transfer to a plate.
Notes
If you don’t have bonito flakes, it’s fine. You may need to adjust the salt during seasoning.
You may use brown sugar in place of mirin.
Substitute other meats if you don’t like pork. Okinawans use luncheon meat or spam in their dish.
Hi, I'm A Bee In My Bonnet! I'm not a professional blogger—just someone who writes about whatever piques my interest. My posts are full of my own thoughts, feelings, and plenty of experiments. Most of the pictures here are snapped and edited by me, and when I share a recipe, it’s one I’ve personally created or tweaked after testing it out myself. This blog is my little corner to share slices of my world with you!
