Bitter Melon Greens & Tofu Soup – Soba Noodle Bowl

Yesterday I stopped by the Asia Market close to my home to pick up some fresh tofu and Chinese broccoli. I love to explore its floor-to-ceiling packed aisles and experiment with newly found ingredients. Finds that have found a home in my kitchen include black rice noodles, organic soba noodles (big packs of 12 bundles), fresh tofu (I never see this in the natural foods markets), and all kinds of greens, some of which I still don’t remember the names of. Outside the market was an overflowing crate of greens, bundled in bunches about 30 inches long. Not sure what these were, I selected one off the top and put it in my basket.

These greens were soon joined by 2 pounds of tofu, a package of dry sliced shitake mushrooms, a pack of soba noodles, ginger root, and green onions. At the checkout counter I saw a clerk next to a big pile of other greens so bright with energy I thought they might have just been picked.

I asked her what these were and how to cook them. “Kang Kong,” she replied. “Stir fry is best. Boil the stems first, then add with the leaves. They cook quick. Don’t cook too long.” Then she added, pointing to the big bunch of greens I’d already put in my basket, “Not bitter, not like those.” “Oh, what are these anyway?” I said. I had thought maybe they were some kind of pea vine or shoots. “Bitter melon,” she said, “Those are bitter melon leaves. Vine is too tough, just take the leaves and stems. We make a soup. Very good for you. Make the broth first, and then add the greens. Remember, don’t cook too long!” I took a few bites of a leaf from the bitter melon vine. Definitely bitter, but not nearly as strong as a mature bitter melon. I imagined this would make a terrific soup with some ginger, garlic, and maybe tofu. If I wanted to do it “Indian” style, maybe something a la Potent Potato Soup, adding a bunch of these greens at the end. I love the combo of potatoes and bitter greens.

About Bitter Melon

Bitter melon is one of Nature’s most healing foods. Yogi Bhajan once told me it would “heal anything.” It is widely recognized for its anti-diabetic properties.

“In addition to being a food ingredient, bitter melon has also been used as a herbal remedy for a range of ailments, including type 2 diabetes. The fruit contains at least three active substances with anti-diabetic properties, including charantin, which has been confirmed to have a blood glucose-lowering effect, vicine, and an insulin-like compound known as polypeptide-p. These substances either work individually or together to help reduce blood sugar levels… bitter melon contains a lectin that reduces blood glucose concentrations by acting on peripheral tissues and suppressing appetite – similar to the effects of insulin in the brain.” (Diabetes.co.uk)

I decided to go with something on the brothy side, sort of Chinese style. First off, I filled my sink half way with cold water and plunged all the greens in there to give them a good rinsing. Then I pulled all the stems and leaves off the vines, piling the greens into a colander. Among the vines some tender young stems had baby bitter melons! Most on the tiny side, and some as large as an inch long.

 I munched on a few slender curly tendrils, not certain how they might cook up. Similar taste as the stems and leaves, but a bit too fibrous and tough. Closer to the tips the tendrils were more tender. I decided not to include the tendrils in the soup, but would definitely use all the baby bitter melons!

With the greens rinsed and draining in the colander, I selected a 2-inch piece of fresh ginger and peeled and sliced it into short thin matchsticks and chopped 5-6 cloves of garlic. Now I was ready to start my basic broth. I heated up a stainless steel pot with a tablespoon or two of oil. When hot, in went a pinch or two of crushed red chilies (you could also use 1 or 2 whole dry red chilies) and let them sizzle a few seconds to get toasted. Then added the ginger and garlic and sizzled a little longer.  After adding water and bringing to a light boil, I added a half-pound of cubed tofu, and some tamari soy sauce, along with a long piece of the melon vine… just to see how it cooked up. I figured one could use the vine pieces for flavoring a broth, and then easily pull them out. I let this simmer a minute or two while I chopped the now-drained greens. Into the pot went the chopped greens.

I let this simmer just about 5 minutes, until the greens were tender. The baby bitter melons (most had gotten cut in half in the chopping process – revealing no seeds!) were also just the right amount of tender, and really pretty tasty. Last in the pot flew 5 chopped green onions and a dash or two of toasted sesame oil.

I served myself a small cup for tasting. The broth was flavorful and the greens were amazing, not too bitter. I thought this would be a fine soup as a first course or to complement a meal. But my heart (or perhaps my stomach) was thinking noodle bowl.

I pulled out a bundle of soba noodles, brought about 6 cups of salted water to a boil, and in another 3 minutes had soba noodles ready to go. Much better. With a garnish of chopped cilantro and raw green onions, I thought, “My goodness, this looks simply perfect.” Let me assure you, it was!

Bittermelon Greens & Tofu Soup or Soba Noodle Bowl

This brothy soup is great on its own. For a light and satisfying meal, include tofu and soba noodles.
1 large bunch bitter melon greens (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons peanut or coconut oil (oil with high smoke point)
1/8 tsp crushed red chilies, or 1-2 whole dry red chilies
2-inches fresh ginger, peeled and chopped into short, thin matchsticks
2 quarts water
¼ cup tamari soy sauce
½ pound tofu, cut into bite-size cubes
½ bunch green onions, finely chopped
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
2-3 tablespoons chopped green onions (for garnish)
Additional tamari or Bragg Liguid Aminos to taste
1 bundle soba noodles (for heartier meal, 1 bundle per serving)

Plunge greens in a sink full of cold water to rinse clean. Pull or snip off tender stems and leaves from the vines, including any blossoms or baby bitter melons. Avoid tough tendrils. Discard tough vine pieces (these may be used to give more flavor to broth and removed, or just chop up and add to the compost pile). Let greens drain in colander while you prep other ingredients.

Heat oil in bottom of gallon-size stainless steel pot over high heat. Add red chilies and sizzle about 30 seconds until toasted. Add chopped fresh ginger and sizzle another 30 seconds or so. Add water, bring to boiling point, and let simmer on medium/low while remaining ingredients are added. First add chopped garlic, cubed tofu, and chopped greens. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Add toasted sesame oil. Adjust taste with additional tamari or Braggs.

Ladle soup into serving bowl and garnish with cilantro and green onions.

For noodles (optional), cook them separately and add at end. To cook, bring lightly salted water to boil, add noodles, stir to break them apart, and boil for 3-4 minutes until done. Serve soup into bowls. Using tongs, add noodles to soup and garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions.

Tofu Scramble with Stir Fries over Brown & Black Rice

Don’t you agree that home-cooked meals are so much better than cafeteria or restaurant food?  It’s about the loving vibes, the pure content, the flavor we want, and of course the $$ savings. Sometimes making lunch for hubby and I every day seems like more than I have energy for. I cook at night when I get home from work and pack up quart-sized containers with whatever’s on the menu.

The challenge is keeping a nice variety, avoiding long prep time, and still coming up with delicious, vibrant, nourishing meals.  Over time I’ve come up with some easy-to-prep standards that are simple to vary with seasoning or whatever veggies or grains I’m using.

Yogi Bhajan’s Tofu Veggie Rooter

The last time I made a batch of ghee I got inspired to share with you a post about its special healing qualities and how easy it is to make. I took some spectacular photos and have been saving them on my phone for the post, which I planned to write tonight!

Before getting started I sat down to upload the photos from my phone. That’s when I saw, right at the top of my photos, the photo of the photo of the “dress” – you know the gold and white dress that was all over the internet a few weeks ago because there were so many people who somehow believed it was a blue and black dress. Really!?

Broccoli, Ginger & Portabella Mushroom Stir Fry with Soba Noodles

Nothing like a little Valentines Day weekend getaway to the mountains to inspire some love in the kitchen! My hubby surprised me with this rather superb idea late Friday afternoon, “Hey, I just found out that Monday’s a holiday. How about we go up to the Big Bear cabin for the weekend, you know, sort of a Valentines Day thing?”  Absolutely! I packed up some clothes and a bag of meal fixins… soba noodles, TJ’s portabella mushroom soup, dried wild mushrooms, romaine, oatmeal, apples, garlic, golden yogurt, and a few more of the basics just in case we decided eat in.

Basmati Rice with Saffron and Herbs

Give some delight to your senses and use fresh herbs when you cook. I love to serve saffron rice with either a garnish of chopped herbs and onions, or an assortment of two or more fresh herbs on the side… parsley, mint, cilantro, oregano, basil, marjoram., dill, green onions…. these are all simply delicious when chopped or torn into small pieces… and a perfect complement to each bite.

Farro with Roasted Kabocha, Kale and Tempeh – A Meal in 20 Minutes

What is Farro anyway? I have eaten it in salad, the same way you would have salad made with quinoa or rice, without having the faintest idea. This ancient grain is a bit of a newcomer to the U.S., although a few minutes of googling revealed it has been popular in Italy for centuries. I also learned that farro is a whole grain in the wheat family and therefore does contain gluten, although less than regular wheat. Pearled and semi-pearled varieties of farro have been through the process of removing much of the hull from the grain so that it will cook faster. In the U.S. farro is mostly available in the pearled form, and in Italy mostly in the semi-pearled form (which takes a little longer to cook). Of course, in the U.S. where convenience is king and we need instant everything, there is also pre-cooked farro, which is what I bought a few weeks ago at Trader Joes: an 8.8 oz. package of “10-Minute Farro.” My plan was to have a go at cooking with it, and apparently tonight was the night!

Friday Night Veggie-Tempeh Stir Bake Steam Fries…. What?!

I left work with food on my brain. Driving along Truxtun Extension, I should have been admiring the gorgeous sunset with storm clouds coming and going, last rays of sunlight penetrating the blues,  grays and purples like hungry orange tongues of flame, silhouettes of pines, oaks, and oil wells, all mirrored in the graceful lakes on the north side of the road, but all I could think about was “What am I going to make for dinner when I get home? I’m hungry!”

It was Friday night and I knew I had an assortment of veggie stragglers at home. Driving along, not quite speeding, I did a quick rewind and playback of the last time I looked in the fridge… a couple of zucchini, green bell pepper, a bunch of green onions, some pretty multi-colored carrots,

Ginger Garlic Paste Recipe

Want to save a little time on food prep during the week? Make a batch of Ginger Garlic Paste on the weekend. It won’t take you more than 5-10 minutes, and you’ll have chopped fresh ginger and garlic ready to go for what’s ever on the menu later on.

Chop equal amounts of fresh

Country Style Saag

Thinking about rapini made me hungry for saag. When I want saag in a hurry I make it in what I call rustic, or country style: The greens are chopped and sauteed instead of boiled and pureed. I can whip up a batch in under 20 minutes if I’ve already got my ginger and garlic prepped. (Quick Tip: Whip up a batch of ginger-garlic paste once a week – besides being handy for adding to what’s ever on the stove, it’s also great on toast!).

Making Your Saag Step by Step

First we start with mustard seeds and cumin… both of these are best if sizzled in oil first. I heated up a little olive oil  over a medium-high flame and added the seeds.
The mustard seeds will start to pop like little popcorns and the cumin seeds give off a nice toasty aroma within less than a minute. That’s when to

Lickety Split White Bean & Veggie Soup

Today’s cooking adventure came a little unexpectedly. Hubby is out of town on business and I was planning on having salad for dinner… but something else tapped on my shoulder!

I love to cook up some