Goya Champuru ゴーヤチャンプルー

The fruit known as bitter melon or Goya in Okinawa looks a bit like a cucumber but with lots of bumps.

It has many medicinal properties used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 3,000 years helping fight viruses, bacteria and strengthening immunity, it is also high in vitamins B,C,E and K . This fruit is very popular in Okinawa the southern most prefecture of japan and one of the world’s five blue zones (where people live the longest). It must be an important fruit over there as they even have a day spent honouring it.
People seam to use it in Japan to help build up immunity for Autumn due to goya having many different antioxidants.
Goya is a very acquired taste it didn’t get its name bitter melon for nothing. After cutting it in half and scooping out the seeds and slicing some people soak the goya in salted water or steam it. I have found it most palatable when soaked in salt and adding a little mirin, so this is what I do to prepare it.

After discussing the extra firm & firm “Shizenno Megumi” style of tofu with Shunzo the managing director of Dragonfly foods, who make hand crafted tofu using Japanese techniques in their factory in the U.K.. He explained that this tofu if very similar to Shima Tofu 島豆腐＝沖縄豆腐 which means “island tofu” made in Okinawa. Because of this I wanted to make a classic favourite okinawan dish called Chanpuru a stir-fry that normally contains egg, tofu, goya and pork or spam. Okinawan cuisine uses spam due to the influence of the US Navy. In my recipe I will not be using the spam or eggs to make it completely plant based. 

People seam to use Goya in Japan to help build up immunity for Autumn, so I thought it an especially fitting dish going into the new season being packed with protein and vitamins. Usually, vitamins get lost by being cooked, but this is not the case when using Goya.

You may have trouble finding Goya in a normal supermarket seek it out in your local Asian store instead.

Chanpurū (チャンプルー) refers to Okinawan stir-fry dishes, meaning “something mixed” or  “hodgepodge.” Using the firmer texture tofu is the perfect choice when it comes to making stir -fries.

Serves x4 people with rice

To make Healthy Vegan Goya Chanpura you will need:

Toasted sesame oil

x2 teaspoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon mirin

x1 large or x2 small Goya (bitter melon)

x1 pack of super firm “Shizenno Megumi”tofu drained of liquid and cut in 1/2

x1 small onion sliced finely or 1/2 a large

x1 kuruma fu / fu pieces or substitute for spam with seitan or similar

A handful of bean sprouts

x1/4 red pepper sliced finely

For the tofu scramble:

1/2 the tofu

x1 teaspoon turmeric

x1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast

In a separate bowl mix

x1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar

x1 teaspoon mirin

x1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce

x1 teaspoon white miso

x4 tablespoon of dashi (a 1 inch piece of kombu left in 2 cups of water to soak over night)

Method:

Tofu

Drain the tofu of liquid and wrap in kitchen towel, press the water out of the tofu. Unwrap from the kitchen towel and cut in half.

With one half you’re going to make a tofu scramble that will substitute the egg in this dish.

Place one 1/2 of the tofu in a bowl and mash with a fork adding the turmeric and nutritional yeast. Then in a separate bowl whisk together all the other ingredients for the tofu scramble then add to the mashed tofu and put aside.

Fu (dried wheat gluten)
If using fu soak in hot water to reconstitute. This will be your spam substitute, you can use anything you like as a meat replacement from fu to seitan or vegetable protein. If using fu leave to soak for 20 mins then squeeze out the water and slice.

Prepare your Goya.

Cut the Goya lengthways and scoop out the seeds and inner white pith then slice. Place the goya slices in a bowl with x2 teaspoons of salt, rub the salt into the goya and leave for ten minutes.

After this time rinse with cold water then blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds.

Plunge the Goya in cold water to stop the cooking process and sprinkle with a few drops of mirin to add sweetness.

While the fu and Goya are soaking slice the pepper and onion and put to one side.

Take the other 1/2 of the tofu and cut this into small cubes. I like to oven bake my tofu first prior to stir frying. Place the cubes on a lined baking sheet brush with a little sesame oil and bake until slightly golden on the outside.

The preparation takes a little time but the meal comes together in minutes.

When everything is prepared add a few teaspoons of sesame oil to a pan and start to stir fry the onion and peppers.

Then add your fu or spam replacement then the bean sprouts, goya and baked tofu.

Finally add your tofu scramble and mix it all together.

Serve with rice pickles and miso soup.

I’m sure you will enjoy this well balanced savoury rustic okinawan cuisine bringing a taste of Japan into your own kitchen where ever you are in the world.