Got any thoughts on Ampalaya, also known as Bitter Gourd or Bitter Melon? Some would straight up say no to it, other would say it’s one of those food choices that is an acquired taste. What we think? Well, we think it’s one great and delicious vegetable, especially when you know how to cook it.

Not to totally carry the chair we are sitting on, but our Ginisang Ampalaya has always been a hit on our dining table. We are not sure if it is because we grew up actually eating and enjoying it, but what we are sure of is that it is delicious and filling to the point that it is actually a comfort food of ours.

Ampalaya or Bitter Gourd is famous for its distinct taste — and that is it is bitter, obviously. However, it is also known for not only being rich in several important nutrients, but is also actually linked to numerous health benefits such as improving blood sugar control and cholesterol levels. Truly, Ampalaya works wonders as it is a amazing vegetable well-loved not only by us, but a lot of other people as well.

If you have been wanting to try Ampalaya but intimidated with its striking flavor, then we have the perfect recipe for you and we have actually mentioned it already, early on. Ginisang Ampalaya is a common ampalaya recipe here in the Philippines and it is basically sauteing or stir-frying ampalaya with some protein such as eggs, pork, ground meat, or even shrimp which is what we have for you today!

We love pairing ampalaya with some shrimp as their individual taste absolutely works together. The bitterness and freshness of the ampalaya is a perfect balancing counterpart to the sweetness and ocean-freshness of the shrimp. On top of that, the crunch of the ampalaya is also a lovely contradicting texture to the plumpness and softness of the shrimp. You see, the differences between the two just bring a scrumptious harmony of flavors and textures to the whole Ginisang Ampalaya dish!

That said, Ginisang Ampalaya, as we have said, has established itself as one of our go-to comfort food for when we want something healthy, delicious, and no doubt satisfying, as this one is great paired with rice as well. Hooray!