This recipe was actually shown to me by one of my friends that I met during the time I was training for one of my jobs. I liked the recipe, but Goya is a little bit bitter for my liking- so I changed it up a little to suit my palate.
"You fixed the goya!" - Friends of Nazufi Kitchen
What is Goya?
At Nazufi Kitchen today, we're making Goya Salad. Goya is a very popular vegetable in Japan. I have to admit that I have never seen or heard of goya until I came to Japan. Goya is considered a superfood, specifically in Okinawa where it is used in many dishes across the island. A popular dish is Goya Chanpuru, which is actually a rather delicious stir fry.
Goya is called 'bitter melon' or 'bitter gourd' in English. Its form looks like a bumpy cucumber, and when cut open, its centre has a fluffy and white bedding that's full of seeds. This is what gives the goya it's bitter flavour, and it is not to be eaten unless you enjoy such flavour - it's extremely bitter. When preparing goya for this recipe, be sure to remove all the white bedding leaving the goya hollow and shaped like a crescent moon.
Goya is usually in season around summer time, but it can be found almost all year round. It's actually quite popular because it's delicious, flavourful and healthy!
I'm not a dietician, but from what I've read and been told, goya is good at lowering blood pressure and contains antioxidants which is really good for reducing potential cancerous cells and other diseases like heart disease.
Umeboshi - Pickled Plums
Umeboshi, or pickled plums in English are a Japanese favourite. They are rather sour, but they have a fruity, tangy kick to them. You can often see them placed on rice in bento boxes, or used in onigiri.
Umeboshi are quite important to this recipe, as they give the dish that needed extra flavour. If you are not in Japan, it can be quite a difficult ingredient to find. I recommend looking in your nearest Asian supermarket to see if you can find them there.
This recipe contains a lot of strong flavours that go extremely well together. If you enjoy strong tastes, this is the salad for you.
What is Ponzu?
Ponzu is technically a citrusy watery sauce that is commonly used in Japan and in Japanese dishes, however when I say Ponzu, I am almost always referring to the Ponzu soy sauce mix that is the most common form of Ponzu. It's a pretty basic condiment that almost every Japanese household will have.
Due to its necessity in any Japanese kitchen, this should be pretty easy to find in your local Asian supermarket regardless of which country you just so happen to live in.
In terms of which brand to buy, I think that any brand does the trick. I do like to have mizkan in my kitchen as a personal preference, but honestly, the supermarket branded ones taste almost exactly the same.
Different Ways to Use the Recipe
This dish is a great salad. It can be eaten alone, or as a side dish with any meal. Adding cooked plain pasta to this salad is a great way of adding a carbohydrate to fill you up for the rest of the day, it's a good idea for a quick lunch idea. This recipe includes olive oil and ponzu, so there is no need to add a sauce if you're wanting to turn it into a pasta dish. The flavour of the goya goes a long way, as well as the freshness. Making your lunch time pasta salad a healthy, yet delicious option.
Another way of enjoying this goya salad is in onigiri, which is a rice ball. In Japan, having rice balls for breakfast, lunch, or as a snack is common. In my opinion, it's an easy way to have a miniature meal without the mess. My family especially like to eat goya salad in onigiri. Salted to taste, it goes very well in combination with rice wrapped securely in some seaweed.
This dish is very versitile and can be eaten in many ways but also with many dishes as a side dish. I often make this dish as a side dish. It's a great accompaniment to many foods, bringing a flavourful tang to the table. I recommend eating alongside less flavoured dishes such as salted grilled fish, and salt & pepper grilled chicken thighs.
What you will need
1 zip lock bag | 1 knife | 1 chopping board | 1 table spoon (tbsp) |
1 teaspoon (tsp) | 1 medium bowl |
Goya Salad
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 large goya | 2tbsp ponzu | 1 tbsp olive oil | 1 umeboshi |
1 can of tuna | 2 tbsp shiokonbu | 1 tbsp sesame seeds | 1 tsp salt |
2 tsp sugar | 1 tbsp vinegar | ½ bonito flakes (optional) | |
Pre-Step
Gather your ingredients.
Step 1
Prepare the goya. It is essential that you do this step first, as it takes time for the goya to soak. This also gives you time to prepare all the other ingredients while you wait for the bitterness to seep out of the goya.
Cut the goya in half and scoop the seeds and their bedding out with a spoon. Be sure to remove all the white bedding as this is what causes the causes to become extra bitter!
Step 2
Once you have scraped the goya clean, give a quick rinse with water and thinly slice. The thinner you slice, the less bitter it will be.
Step 3
Grab your ziplock bag and add the salt, the sugar and the vinegar. Add the thinly sliced goya inside and seal the bag, squeezing out any excess air (this makes massaging the goya easier).
Mix the goya with the other ingredients, and massage from the outside of the bag using both hands. Do this for about 2 minutes and then set it aside for about 10 minutes. Massage every 2 minutes to ensure each goya slice has been exposed to the mixture.
Step 4
While you wait for the goya, open the can of tuna and remove all excess oils/water. Place it into a bowl.
Step 5
Take the umeboshi (pickled plum) and slice around the seed until it has come loose. (Another method is to push the seed out and remove excess umeboshi still attached with a knife). Slice the umeboshi vertically and horizontally. It should turn into a mushy-like texture. Keep slicing until it's almost a paste and then add it to the bowl.
Step 6
Add the ponzu, olive oil, shiokonbu, and sesame seeds to the bowl and mix.
Step 7
It is time to add the goya. Open the ziplock bag ever so slightly, and squeeze all the liquid out of the bag. Another method would be to cut a small incision at one of the bottom corners and squeeze the liquid out of there. Once the goya is now liquid free, add it to the bowl and mix thoroughly to ensure the goya is covered in all of the ingredients.
Serve
You can serve and eat immediately or you can refrigerate for use later.
Leftovers
This dish is great to prepare in advance for the week. I always have a tub of goya salad in my fridge ready for a busy morning to make some quick rice balls for lunch, or for a lazy-day dinner side dish.
Because the goya has been soaked in vinegar it can last a little bit longer in the fridge than when fresh, as long as you keep it in an airtight container. Goya salad can be kept in the fridge, in an airtight container for 1 week. I have kept it for 2 weeks before, however the flavour, texture and freshness of the salad completely changes, and so I do not recommend leaving it in the fridge for longer than 1 week.
Let us know if you have tried this recipe and how it went for you. Feel free to leave a comment, ask questions or suggestions to better this r
Thank you for trying it!
Author: Afnan Ezzeldin
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