Ampalaya con Carne Recipe (2024)

Ampalaya or Bitter Gourd (sometimes called bitter melon) is a vegetable full of nutrients that are good for the body. There are a lot of us who do not want to eat any dishes associated to it because of the bitter taste that the vegetable brings. However, some still try their best to develop an acquired taste because of the known health benefits of this vegetable.

Ampalaya con Carne is a dish composed of beef strips and ampalaya – this is also known as beef with ampalaya. This is perfect for those who wish to eat ampalaya but cannot handle the bitterness. The beef acts as a neutralizing agent; it covers the bitterness with its flavorful juices.

I was one of those who dislike the bitterness of ampalaya. I only enjoyed eating it when I learned the proper technique of extracting the bitterness out (which I demonstrated in the Ginisang Ampalaya video). There is a negative side to it though; that means less nutrients since some of them are extracted too, but it is a good start to enjoy the vegetable.

Ampalaya con carne is a superb dish. If you do the right thing, the bitter flavor of the ampalaya will be unnoticed – all you can taste are the array of flavors brought about by the different ingredients. If you like beef with broccoli, you’ll surely like this dish too.

Do you like eating ampalaya? What other techniques do you do to remove its bitter taste?

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Ampalaya Con Carne is beef stir-fry with bitter gourd. This is dish is quick and easy to make. It is tasty and delicious. This is probably my favorite dish that involves ampalaya, aside from Pinakbet.

I like this dish because it is very convenient to prepare. I only takes less than 30 minutes to cook and it tastes fantastic!

How to Cook Ampalaya Con Carne

Cooking this dish involves marinating the beef in seasonings and spices and stir-frying it afterwards.

The first thing to do is to combine beef with all the marinade ingredients. Mix well and then let it marinate for 10 minutes. You can go longer if preferred.

I saute the aromatics first before stir-frying the beef. This means cooking garlic, ginger and onion in oil until the onion softens. The amapalaya or bitter gourd is added next. This vegetable tastes bitter. However, there are ways to reduce its bitterness. One method is to rub salt all over sliced ampalaya and let it stay for 10 minutes. Rinse with water afterwards. Note that this should be done before cooking the ampalaaya.

The marinated beef is added next. It is stir-fried until totally cooked, which takes around 3 to 5 minutes. Add water. Stir until the sauce thickens.

This is best eaten for lunch with rice.

Try this Ampalaya Con Carne Recipe. Let me know what you think.

Watch How to Cook Ampalaya Con Carne