What is Ginisang Ampalaya?
Ginisang Ampalaya is a stir-fried Filipino ulam dish. Ginisa in English means to sautee or stir-fry, while ampalaya is the Filipino word for bitter gourd. A typical ginisa or stir-fry dish includes chopped onions, garlic, and tomatoes; then, the remaining ingredients are tossed in. In this case, it is ampalaya.
This ginisang ampalaya recipe also includes scrambled eggs, which provides a contrast in texture and color to the ampalaya. This ginisang ampalaya with egg dish is a fast and easy recipe that takes only minutes to cook!
Table of Contents
• How to Serve Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg
• How to Cook Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg
• Tips to Make the Best Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg
• Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg Storage Tips
• WATCH: How to Cook Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg Video
• Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg Recipe
How to Serve Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg
Just like most savory Filipino food, ginisang ampalaya with egg is best served hot with warm cooked rice. It also pairs well with deep-fried or crispy viands, like calamares or fried chicken, or grilled viands like this Filipino pork barbecue with sriracha!
How to Cook Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg
This ginisang ampalaya with egg recipe starts off with the preparation of the ampalaya in order to get rid of its bitter taste. To do this, the chopped ampalaya is tossed with salt and left to sit for about 10 minutes, until the salt draws out moisture from it. It is then drained, washed, and set aside.
Next, over medium heat, saute the trinity of aromatics in Filipino cooking: chopped onions, garlic, and tomatoes. When the onions are translucent, add in the ampalaya and toss together. Add in some water, and let it simmer until the ampalaya is tender but still firm. Season with salt and pepper. Push the veggies to the side of the pan.
Then, in the space you created, add the beaten eggs. Make sure to stir constantly, and when the eggs are almost cooked (just before it completely sets), toss everything together. Season again with salt and pepper, and serve.
How to Make the Best Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg
1 Don’t skip salting the ampalaya.
This crucial prepping step gets rid of the bitter taste of ampalaya! Tossing the ampalaya in salt and letting it sit for at least 10 minutes will make your ginisang ampalaya dish taste more delicious. Make sure to thoroughly wash and drain it before adding to the pan to avoid overly salty ginisa!
2 Season in stages.
Ginisang ampalaya with egg has mild flavors, and the unsung heroes of this dish is actually the seasoning. One trick to make sure you’ve seasoned your ginisa dish well is by seasoning in stages, meaning: season lightly at each step! Doing this allows you to build on layers of flavor, instead of accidentally under- or over-seasoning at the end.
3 Undercook the eggs.
To ensure the scrambled eggs stay fluffy, stir them constantly as soon as you see the bottoms begin to set. Then, when they are almost set (but still a little wet), turn off the heat and toss together with the other ingredients. Don’t worry: the residual heat from the pan will still cook the eggs just right!
How to Store Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg
1 Ginisang ampalaya with egg is best served fresh.
While you can definitely reheat this ginisa dish, it is best consumed fresh off the pan or wok. This is because the more times you reheat the dish, the more tender and soggy the ampalaya will get, and the drier the eggs will become.
2 You can refrigerate it.
If you have leftovers, the ginisang ampalaya with egg will keep in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days. Make sure that it has cooled down to room temperature, and store in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.
WATCH: How to Cook Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg Video
Ginisang Ampalaya with Egg Recipe
Ginisang Ampalaya With Egg Recipe
Ingredients
Ginisang Ampalaya With Egg Ingredients
- 2 medium ampalaya seeded, cut into half moons
- 2 tablespoons Salt more to taste
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 medium red onion peeled, sliced thinly
- 3 cloves Garlic peeled, chopped
- 2 Small tomatoes sliced
- 1/4 Cup water or stock
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add ampalaya. Season with salt and toss to coat evenly. Set aside for at least 10 minutes or until the ampalaya pieces weep or water has collected on the bottom of the bowl. Drain and then rinse the ampalaya well. Set aside.
- In a wok over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and then garlic, and saute until just softened. Add tomatoes, and cook until just softened. Add ampalaya, and toss to mix.
- Pour in water, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until almost all the water has evaporated and the ampalaya has become more tender but still crisp. Push the ampalaya mix to one side of the wok.
- On the other side of the ampalaya, pour in beaten eggs. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Cook just until the eggs are just set on the bottom before stirring and scrambling the eggs. Toss eggs and ampalaya mix together, and season with salt and pepper. Serve while hot.
