From Garden To Table: Stir-fried Snake Gourd

The snake gourd plants in my garden are still producing a great harvest. This allows me to create a variety of dishes—though, admittedly, they are all simple meals for everyday consumption.

There is a unique sense of satisfaction in serving food straight from the garden. It brings joy not just to me, but to my husband as well. He admits to appreciating the food more now; nothing goes to waste because we realize just how difficult it is to grow our own produce!

Back to the snake gourd dish: this time, I’m pairing it with tempeh—my favorite plant-based protein source. Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans. Make sure you get fresh tempeh. If you end up with bad tempeh, it’s truly unpleasant; the aroma and taste of spoiled tempeh are vastly different from the fresh variety. So, be careful not to buy the wrong kind.

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The Ingredients

• 250 grams of tempeh
• 400 grams of snake gourd
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 3 shallots
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• Chili peppers (optional)
• A little water

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Cooking Instructions

Prepare the snake gourd. First, slice the snake gourd in half lengthwise. Remove the large, visible seeds—much like how you would prepare bitter melon. You don't need to remove the white inner flesh (the part that isn't a seed), as it is delicious to eat; only the seeds themselves need to be discarded.

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Once sliced ​​and seeded, cut the snake gourd into pieces, but avoid slicing them too thinly. Then, place them in a bowl and add a little salt.

Soak the snake gourd slices in salted water. There is no strict time limit; I usually let them soak while I prepare the other seasoning ingredients.

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Thinly slice the garlic and shallots. Then, for that spicy kick I love—chili peppers! Hehe. You can swap the chili peppers for bell peppers, or simply use a little pepper for a flavor kick that’s anything but boring. Also, don't forget to cut the tempeh into cubes.

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Heat up some vegetable oil. Then, add the sliced ​​garlic and shallots. Sauté until fragrant, but be careful not to let them burn.

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Next, add the sliced ​​chili peppers or bell peppers once the garlic and shallots release their aroma.

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Add the tempeh cubes and sliced ​​snake gourd. Stir-fry them. Add a little water gradually to prevent the bottom from burning.

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Cook for 5 minutes. Then, add your seasonings before removing from the heat. If you prefer a different texture for the snake gourd, you can cook it longer—but keep it under 10 minutes, or it will become mushy.

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Serving

I serve this stir-fried snake gourd with warm rice. It’s a simple dish that’s quick to prepare—perfect for a busy lunch or dinner. Regardless, don't forget to stick to a regular eating schedule, even if it's just a small meal. :)

Fun fact: snake gourd actually tastes a bit like cucumber—slightly sweet. However, its seeds and leaves resemble bitter melon (pare)—hehe. That’s why in my area, this vegetable is called pare belut (eel-shaped bitter melon). :)

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Stay tuned for my next recipe; there will be more dishes featuring produce from my garden. Whoa, I'm super excited about it! :)

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Best Regards,
Anggrek Lestari

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