AMPALAYA CON CARNE
Tita Becky •
Oct 10, 2025
I absolutely hated Ampalaya (Bittermelon) when I was a little kid in the Philippines. My mom made me eat it because it’s very nutritious but taste bitter and made gag. 🤣 But now I really love it! 🤷🏻♀️ I can’t remember when I started liking it but I do now. WHO CAN RELATE?
Ingredients (10)
Ingredients (10)
Instructions
Combine beef strips (1 lb), soy sauce (2 Tbsp), oyster sauce (2 Tbsp), cornstarch (1 tsp) and black pepper (⅛ tsp) in a bowl. Marinate for at least 10 minutes.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat.
Add cooking oil (2 Tbsp).
Add beef strips and stir fry until no longer pink about 4 minutes.
Add garlic (4 cloves) and onions (½ small) and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add hot water (1 ½ cups), cover and turn heat down to low and cook beef until tender about 30 minutes. Add water more if necessary.
Add sliced Ampalaya (1 medium) on top of the beef. Do not stir. Cover and let it cook for another 3 minutes until Ampalaya softens.
Stir and serve immediately with steamed white rice. Enjoy!
Notes
Notes
- I used a tough cut of beef (bottom round) so it needs to be cooked for a long time to tenderize.
- The cornstarch I added in the marinade helps thicken the sauce.
- Add salt to taste at the end of the dish if needed.
- The sauce will reduce and thicken. Add bit more water if necessary.
- Slice Ampalaya thinly so it can cook faster.
