Bittergourd Salad With Wafu Dressing

If you are a bittergourd/bittermelon lover, you will surely love this salad.  I replicated the same salad which I had eaten at a Japanese restaurant in KL with my daughter. She recommended me this salad dish and after tasted it. I was head over heel in love with this dish and I told her I will replicate it for sure.  As we were eating it, we were trying to identify the ingredients used for the salad dressing. And bingo, my daughter got it right..it is Wafu dressing ( japanese- style salad dressing ).  I came back googled for wafu dressing and Voila, she got it right.  It tasted exactly the same as the one which the one served at the Japanese restaurant. I could not contain my joy and I had to text my daughter   " Wow, its exactly the same as the one we ate at the restaurant...your wafu dressing is a spot on "  . I sensed her head swelling through the phone LOL!  My daughter JO is a great taster and she can guess the ingredients faster than me. A keeper for sure and I shall be eating this often as I have my own homegrown plant to supply me endless bittergourd.

This is one healthy and delicious salad that I would like to share with my readers .  Bittergourd has lots of health benefits and they are delicious in however you cooked them. Turning them into salad is a wonderful idea from the Japanese restaurant we went.  And thanking my daughter for introducing me this salad dish.  She is my bestie for sure.  We both love eating and replicating dishes from home :) And I don't nicknamed her Piggy JO for nothing LOL !

these are main ingredients used for making the salad

 

this is the Japanese Grain Vinegar I used in the making the

Wafu Dressing

wafu dressing ...a beautiful Japanese style salad dressing..a keeper for sure

I rested the wafu dressing for 20 mins before using them

as I feel the ingredients will have enough time to 'married to each other'

and gives the dressing a more flavorful one for this salad

after dressing the salad, garnish the top with bonito flakes and
some toasted wasabi flavored seaweed

this is a keeper for sure

Bittergourd Salad With Wafu Dressing

 Ingredients:

3 karela ( indian bittergourd )  
1 red onion- sliced thinly

topping
bonito flakes
toasted wasabi flavored seaweeds

Wafu dressing - adapted from Just One Cookbook

1 tbsp of grated onion with juice
3 tbsp of vegetable oil * I used rice bran oil
3 tbsp of Japanese Soy Sauce
3 tbsp of rice vinegar * I used Japanese grain vinegar - it taste better
1 tbsp sugar
freshly ground pepper
1/2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds * I omitted coz I ran out of sesame seed

Method:
Put all the dressing ingredients above in a small bowl.  Whisk the ingredients together to create a perfect blend.  Leave it to rest for 20 mins to allow  a more intense flavor.

Prepare the karela ( bittergourd )
sliced thinly and season with salt to draws out bitterness and water. wipe dry with the kitchen paper towels.  Lay them on a salad plate together with the onion slices.  Drizzle the salad dressing over the bittergourd onion slices. Topped with bonito flakes and toasted wasabi flavored seaweeds.

Note:  I like it chilled. It taste better if chilled.  Can be served at room temperature.