----------------------------------STUFFING----------------------------------
    1/2 lb Pork, ground [I minced it

           -with cleavers. S.C.]
      4    Fresh water chestnuts,

           -peeled and finely minced
      1 ts Minced fresh ginger root

      2 tb Minced scallion

  1 1/2 tb Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

    1/2 ts Salt

    1/2 ts Sugar

      1 tb Thin soy sauce

      1    Egg, lightly beaten

      1 ts Cornstarch

      2 lg Bitter melons, about 3/4 to

           -1 lb.
-----------------------------------SAUCE-----------------------------------
      2 tb Peanut oil

      2 ts Minced garlic

  1 1/2 tb Fermented black beans

      1 tb Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

    3/4 c  Chicken broth

           Salt to taste
    1/2 ts Cornstarch mixed with 1

           -teaspoon cold chicken broth
      1 tb Sesame oil

           From Ken Hom's book,
           -Chinese Technique.
  Combine the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix them
  thoroughly. The hands are the best tool for this job.
  Cut the bitter melon into 1-inch slices; discard the end pieces. With
  a paring knife, trim out the insides.  Lift them out.  Stuff the
  cavity of each slice with a generous spoonful of stuffing.
  Arrange the stuffed pieces of vegetable on a plate and set the plate
  on a trivet in a wok over enough hot water to come within 1 inch of
  the plate. Cover the wok and steam the food for 20 minutes.  Remove
  the platter and trivet.
  In a separate wok or pan, prepare the sauce.  First heat 2 tablespoons
  peanut oil.  Add the garlic and fermented black beans, stir for a
  minute, then add the Shaoxing wine, chicken stock and salt.  Add the
  liquid that results from the steaming of the melon.  Bring the
  mixture to a boil. Thicken with the dissolved cornstarch and flavor
  with sesame oil.
  Pour the sauce over the bitter melons and serve.
  Serves 2 as a main course.
  NOTE:  Hom makes no mention of blanching although another bitter melon
  recipe in another book *does* say that it will cut the bitterness.
  Posted by Stephen Ceideburg; February 25 1991.