Hairy Gourd with Dried Shrimp
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This hairy gourd with dried shrimp recipe is a simple and tasty dish that’s best enjoyed in the summertime. It gives you a refreshing feel and it can be served as a main or a side dish.
A staple in traditional Chinese cuisine, this dish brings feelings of nostalgia and home to your tastebuds. Many children of immigrant parents can definitely vouch for it!
What is Hairy Gourd?
Also known as the ‘fuzzy melon’, the hairy gourd is a small immature winter melon. It gets its name from the tiny hairs that cover the entire gourd that protects it from bugs. Its more commonly referred to as ‘winter melon’ or ‘wax gourd’ when it reaches maturity because the melon loses its hairs and develops a waxy coating instead.
The fleshy inside is white and the seeds are edible and offer a nice crunch. It has a naturally mild flavour which makes it the perfect pair with other ingredients like shrimp, chicken and eggs.
Preparing the Melon
As mentioned earlier, the hairy gourd is covered in tiny hairs. Your first thought is probably to use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin and the hairs all at once but it’s actually not recommended to do this!
Instead, run a knife down the length of the melon to scrape off the hairs or your can gently scrub them off with your hands. The most important thing is to give it a quick rinse before continuing to make sure none of the hairs stick to the melon.
The skin of the melon itself does not have to be removed but if you prefer it then you can. Here is when you can use the vegetable peeler! Removing the seeds is also optional!
About Hairy Gourd with Dried Shrimp Recipe
There are many varieties of the hairy gourd with dried shrimp recipe. Although this recipe calls for dried shrimp, it can be made with fresh shrimp, ground pork or other proteins. A lot of the other recipes also include vermicelli and mung bean in them!
Regardless of how it is cooked, the hairy gourd is a great ingredient that tastes delicious and is nutritious. Now let’s get started on this hair gourd with dried shrimp recipe!
Also try our Winter Melon Soup, a similar recipe using the same ingredients!
Then add in the hairy gourd pieces and cook for 5 minutes or until they begin to look translucent.
Hairy Gourd with Dried Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 medium hairy gourd
- 2 tbsp dried shrimp
- ½ cup water to soak the shrimp
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3-4 slices ginger
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp sugar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Rinse the dried shrimps and soak them in ½ cup of water for about 10 minutes or until they soften. After, drain the shrimp but keep the water for later.
- Using a knife, run it along the side of the hairy gourd to remove the hairs. Then rinse it off and use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Chop off the stem end of the gourd and then slice them into bite-sized pieces.
- Peel both the garlic cloves and ginger. Then slice the ginger into thin slices and mince the garlic.
- Once your ingredients are ready, heat the vegetable oil in a pan or wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, saute the ginger slices, garlic and dried shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Then add in the hairy gourd pieces and cook for 5 minutes or until they begin to look translucent.
- Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk before adding into the pan.
- Add in the oyster sauce and sesame oil. Combine well before adding in the leftover dried shrimp water. Season with salt and sugar.
- Cook until some of the water has evaporated or until all the ingredients become tender.
- Turn off the heat and transfer to a plate. Ready to serve! Hairy gourd with dried shrimp is best eaten as a main or as a side with rice.
