Satini margoz

Name: Satini margoz
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Seychelles
Ingredients: 350 g green food-grade bitter melon flesh, seeds and white central pith removed; 80 g very finely sliced onion; 10 ml neutral oil; 20 ml lime juice; 500 ml drinking water for soaking; ½ teaspoon salt for soaking water, which is discarded; A small pinch of finishing salt only if needed; Black pepper; A little fresh chilli, optional

Thin bitter-melon half-moons sautéed with onion and finished with lime, in four small deliberately bitter condiment portions.

Ingredients

350 g green food-grade bitter melon flesh, seeds and white central pith removed
80 g very finely sliced onion
10 ml neutral oil
20 ml lime juice
500 ml drinking water for soaking
½ teaspoon salt for soaking water, which is discarded
A small pinch of finishing salt only if needed
Black pepper
A little fresh chilli, optional

Preparation

Wash whole food-grade bitter melons, halve lengthways and remove seeds and white pith. Weigh 350 g flesh and slice into thin 2–3 mm half-moons.

Dissolve half a teaspoon salt in 500 ml drinking water and soak slices 15 minutes in the refrigerator. Drain, rinse briefly, gently squeeze in a clean cloth and dry the surface.

Heat 10 ml oil and soften onion about 5 minutes without burning.

Add bitter melon and sauté gently about 6–8 minutes, stirring, until tender but slightly firm. Avoid strong browning.

Off the heat, add 20 ml lime juice, pepper and optional chilli. Taste with a clean spoon before any additional pinch of salt.

Serve four small condiment portions or cool quickly and refrigerate for same-day use. Discard soaking water; natural bitterness remains perceptible.