Goya chanpuru(ゴーヤチャンプルー) is a Ryukyuan stir fry dish with bitter melon. One of the most iconic dishes of Okinawa, goya chanpuru combines bitter melon with island tofu and normally meat and eggs with simple seasoning, though meat and eggs are omitted here for a vegan version.

Chanpuru(チャンプルー) is the Okinawan word for stir fry. Seasonings vary: salt, pepper, soy sauce, and miso are common. Some water or dashi can be added to keep it from getting too dry.

Goya(ゴーヤ), or bitter melon, is a popular vegetable in the Ryukyu islands. Once prepared and cooked, it has a mild bitter flavor and firm texture. Salting the bitter melon and rinsing or blanching it helps pull out some of the bitterness. Other versions of chanpuru use cabbage, green papaya, luffa, or other vegetable.

An important element typically used in chanpuru is shima-dofu(島豆腐), or island tofu, a type of tofu made my pressing curdled soymilk until very firm. It is common in Ryukyu cuisine and normally broken into pieces by hand rather than cut. Because of its firmness, it holds its shape well when cooked.

Recipe

2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 bitter melon(ゴーヤ), halved and seeded and sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 lb island tofu(島豆腐), broken in pieces [substitute extra firm tofu]
• ¼ cup water or dashi
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• ¼ tsp additional salt (optional)
• ¼ tsp black pepper (optional)

Method

• massage bitter melon with 1 tsp salt
• let sit 10 minutes
• drain
• blanche bitter melon until slightly softened, about 3 minutes (alternatively rinse well)
• drain
• saute bitter melon, tofu
• add water, soy sauce
• add salt, pepper to taste
• stir
• serve