Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add the rinsed rice and the appropriate amount of water to your rice cooker. Each packet contains 2 cups of rice.

Don’t have a rice cooker? Rinse and drain rice. In a pot, bring water to a boil (3 cups for 2 servings / 6 cups for 4 servings / 9 cups for 6 servings). Add rice, stir once, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender (12–15 min / 15–18 min / 18–20 min). Remove from heat and let it sit while covered (10 min / 10–15 min / 15 min).

Soak the black fungus & vermicelli in water for 15 minutes then drain.

Cut the vermicelli and black fungus into 1 cm pieces and set aside. Cut the bitter melon into 5 cm rings, remove seeds, and scrape out the white pith to reduce bitterness. Dice the onion and slice spring onions & Thai chilli for garnish then set aside.

Tip: The more white pith you remove from the bitter melon, the less bitterness it will release into the soup resulting in a milder, more balanced flavour.

In a bowl, mix minced pork, diced onion, black fungus, vermicelli, and the Ahh Maa Meat Seasoning until sticky and well-incorporated.

Fill the bitter melon rings with the pork mixture, pressing firmly. Shape any leftover pork filling into small meatballs. In a large pot, bring chicken stock, water (1.5 Liter for 2 servings / 3 Liters for 4 servings / 4.5 Liters for 6 servings) and the Ahh Maa Soup Seasoning to a boil.

Gently add stuffed bitter melon to the broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes.

Add in the meatballs to the soup and continue simmering for 15 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked and the bitter melon is soft. Add water if needed to maintain broth level.

Taste the soup and adjust with salt and white pepper if needed.

Plate the bitter melon soup. Garnish with green onions and serve hot with steamed rice. Add sliced Thai chilli (optional) to fish sauce as a side sauce.

Serve hot and enjoy!