Goya Champuru | How to Cook a Classic Okinawan Bitter Gourd Dish | Garden to Table

In this video, I show how to cook goya champuru. I used fresh bitter gourd from our kitchen garden and combined it with tofu and pork to make this classic Okinawan dish. Okinawans are well known to enjoy long lives. Their longevity is due to their diet, activity levels, and social interactions. Bitter gourd is a staple in the Okinawan diet and is known to have several health benefits including, 1) providing a good source of nutrients like potassium, vitamins A and C, and folate 2) lowering blood sugar, 3) possible cancer fighting properties, 4) decreasing cholesterol levels, and 5) providing a good source of fiber.

Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 bitter gourds
- Firm tofu (14 oz)
- Pork loin or belly
- 2 eggs
- Salt
- White pepper
- Bonito soup stock “Dashi powder”
- Bonito flakes (katsuobushi)

Recipe Directions:
1. Cut bitter gourd in half.
2. Remove the seeds.
3. Cut into ⅛ to ½ inch slices.
4. Add salt (1 tsp) and toss. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Wrap tofu in paper towels and press to remove water.
6. Cut pork into strips.
7. Rinse salted bitter gourd slices with water and pat dry.
8. Remove paper towels from the tofu.
9. Break tofu into chunks.
10. Add vegetable oil (1 tsp) to a skillet and cook tofu until brown. Set aside the browned tofu in a bowl.
11. Add vegetable oil (1 tsp) to a skillet and cook bitter gourd for 5-10 minutes. Set aside in a bowl.
12. Add vegetable oil (1 tsp) to a skillet and cook pork strips.
13. Season pork strips with salt and white pepper.
14. Return bitter gourd to the skillet with the pork strips.
15. Return tofu to the skillet with the pork strips and bitter gourd.
16. Season with white pepper, bonito soup stock (1 tsp), and soy sauce (1 tbsp).
17. Add 2 beaten eggs to the mixture in the skillet and fold together.
18. Sprinkle bonito flakes over hot goya champuru after plating.

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