This Veggie Dish #NutritionMonth Recipe is a Surprise: Calamares Ampalaya is a Kiddie Approved Recipe
Greetings fellow parents and caregivers! April here from Relax Language Mom to share a groovy recipe that’s sure to be a hit with the littles. While brainstorming new ways to sneak extra veggies into our kiddos, I came across an inspiration guaranteed to please even the pickiest of palates. Stick with me and I’ll divulge the mystifying secrets of Calamares Ampalaya.
You may be wondering – what in tarnation is Calamares Ampalaya? Allow me to unpack this peculiar dish. Calamares is a type of squid commonly used in Filipino cuisine. Ampalaya, on the other hand, goes by the less funky moniker “bitter melon” in other parts of the world. This bizarre veggie earns its name with an acrid taste buds can’t ignore. So why combine the two? As the saying goes, “what brings people together is stronger than what keeps them apart.” When prepared properly, their contrasting flavors produce culinary fireworks worthy of the Louvre.
The ampalaya hiding under the unassuming exterior contains a high concentration of nutrients sure to perk up even the sleepiest of kiddos. Packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin A, iron, potassium and antioxidants, just one serving offers over 25% of your daily Vitamin C – crucial for immune support during cold & flu season. Its bitter constituents have been shown to help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol too. Think of it as a natural energy boost in a funny shaped package – a perfect addition to our repertoire of kid-approved veggies.
Transforming these unique ingredients into a cohesive, crowd-pleasing dish takes finesse.
This Calamares Ampalaya veggie recipe is created by by Jennifer Valdez, an OFW who likes healthy food. I hope you try it and tell me how it went with the kids!
Calamares Ampalaya
Ingredients
1 big Ampalaya (bitter gourd)
1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cold water
Oil for deep frying
ground Tofu
1 egg
Procedure:
- Clean Ampalaya, cut it in rings and make sure to remove all the pith (white parts) so it wont be bitter.
- Salt it and leave for 10 minutes. Rince and dry thoroughly (with kitchen towels)
- Mix all 7 ingredients except oil and Ampalaya.
- Dip Ampalaya in batter.
- Deep fry until golden.
- Serve with mayo and ketchup dip.
With your own secret recipe, you’ll quickly earn a reputation as a kitchen wizard of the Filipino variety. Nutrition Month may be over but tasty discoveries like this keep the learning alive all year long.
