Japanese · lunch, dinner

Goya Champuru (Okinawan Bitter Melon, Tofu and Pork)

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Goya Champuru (Okinawan Bitter Melon, Tofu and Pork) — from Koh Kentetsu Kitchen【料理研究家コウケンテツ公式チャンネル】's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 12:41

Video by Koh Kentetsu Kitchen【料理研究家コウケンテツ公式チャンネル】 on YouTube, in Japanese · Open on YouTube

25 minServes 2517 kcal a serve
  • Keto (4.6 g net carbs a serve)
  • Gluten-free with a swap: Use tamari instead of soy sauce
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: Gluten, Fish, Egg, Soy. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Tofu, pork belly, egg and bitter melon with no sugar at all: about 30 g protein and under 5 g net carbs a serve; rich in selenium.

Printable PDFA4

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Ingredients 9

Method

The cook speaks Japanese; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.

  1. Wrap the tofu in a double layer of paper towel and heat it in the microwave to drive off some of its water, so it browns instead of steaming. 1:37
  2. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and put in the whole block of tofu, then break it into rough chunks with a spatula. Salt it well and fry until lightly golden, then lift it out. 2:15
  3. Cut the ends off the goya, halve it lengthways and scrape out the seeds and pith (leave some if you like it bitter). Slice about 3 mm thick; salt-rub and pat dry first if you want it less bitter. 3:57
  4. Add a little more oil to the same pan and stir-fry the pork belly pieces until the fat starts to run, seasoning with a pinch of salt. 5:27
  5. Add the goya and stir-fry briefly so it stays crisp and bright, coating it in the pork fat, with a pinch more salt. 6:46
  6. Return the tofu, toss everything together, then add soy sauce down the side of the pan for aroma. 7:33
  7. Beat the egg with a pinch of salt and pour it over, turn off the heat and fold gently so the egg just sets around everything. Finish with pepper or bonito flakes if you like. 8:19

Tip. Serves 2. In Okinawa it is eaten with rice and miso soup; a side of greens keeps the meal lower in carbs. Okinawans often use firm shima-dofu or canned luncheon meat; this version uses fresh pork belly and ordinary firm tofu.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 2

Energy517 kcal2,170 kJ
Protein30 g61% of a day
Fibre1.7 g6% of a day
Carbohydrate6.3 g4.6 g net · 2.4 g sugars2% of a day
Fat43 g12 g saturated55% of a day
Sodium800 mg35% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 4%
  • Protein 23%
  • Fat 73%

Fits keto: 4.6 g net carbs a serve, with 73% of the energy from fat.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Omega-3 High79%

1.3 g a serve, mostly from momen tofu (44%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Selenium High59%

33 µg a serve, mostly from momen tofu (48%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Iron High58%

10 mg a serve, mostly from momen tofu (91%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Calcium High49%

637 mg a serve, mostly from momen tofu (96%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Vitamin B12 High44%

1.1 µg a serve, mostly from pork belly (60%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Zinc High27%

3 mg a serve, mostly from momen tofu (47%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin C High21%

19 mg a serve, mostly from goya (98%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Magnesium Source17%

72 mg a serve, mostly from momen tofu (73%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Folate Source17%

67 µg a serve, mostly from goya (42%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin B6 Source15%

0.3 mg a serve, mostly from pork belly (39%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Potassium Source13%

610 mg a serve, mostly from momen tofu (35%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Vitamin E Source10%

1.4 mg a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (55%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

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Vitamin K9%

10 µg a serve, mostly from momen tofu (41%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Vitamin A5%

43 µg a serve, mostly from egg (87%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin D3%

0.6 µg a serve, mostly from egg (93%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Koh Kentetsu Kitchen【料理研究家コウケンテツ公式チャンネル】; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.