Bitter Gourd Recipe

超辣沖繩苦瓜
Spicy Bitter Gourd

材料 | Ingredients：

沖繩苦瓜 1/3條

鹽適量

紅椒 1/4個

白大蔥 5cm

辣椒粉 1/4茶匙

魚露 1茶匙

麻油 1/2湯匙

1/3 bitter gourd

Salt (appropriate amount)

1/4 bell pepper

5cm Shiraga-negi (thinly sliced white part of a Japanese leek)

1/4 teaspoon Ichimi Togarashi (red chilli pepper powder)

1 teaspoon or more fish sauce

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

Remove the guts of the bitter gourd, cut into thin slices, rub lightly with salt, and let stand for 10 minutes. Thinly slice the bell pepper and soak in water.
Add Ichimi Togarashi, fish sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl, and mix.
Remove the water from ① and mix with ②.
Place ③ on a plate and garnish with Shiraga-negi.

苦瓜是沖繩代表性的蔬菜，含有豐富的維他命C，由於這種維他命C經過加熱也不會損失，所以最適合做為炒菜的材料。苦味成分中的MOMORUDESIN具有健胃和增進食欲之效，普遍認為還可以降低血糖。沖繩的蔬菜為了能在海風和強烈的紫外線下生存，所以具有強勁的生命力，和日本其他地區的蔬菜相比更具有抗氧化作用。