Spicy Stewed Bitter Gourd with Porkbelly Recipe

My Mom cooked this on 16th May, Monday. All of us, me, my hubby and especially my Dad find this very delicious！ Messy, who can consider as 80% vegan, obviously don't like this. The few types of meat she eats are minced pork, fried pork and chicken that's all. Worse when she was younger！ONLY minced pork that's it！Imagine she would order a plate of chicken rice W/O chicken meat！LOL 
As for Cheeky, she's more of an omnivore but also depends on her mood. She LOVES roasted duck and chicken drumsticks, will request not to chop into smaller pieces because she says it's more delicious to hold the drumsticks and bite off the meat！ Talking about this, there was one incident that happened few months back in Cheeky's school. She bit one of her classmates on her arm while watching TV show all of a sudden with no reason！ When I reached her school, the teacher on duty told me about that and I was like "OMG！ Not again！" I asked the teacher how's the little girl, was it serious, why did Cheeky do that? She told me it's minor, she had already applied some medication for her and the teeth's mark had subsided (PHEW！I was relieved to hear that！) but still not really sure of the reason as both of them don't wanna say. Teacher also mentioned that the girl dare not tell her when it happened, instead she told her softly when she went to the toilet！I WISHED THERE'S A HOLE RIGHT THERE！Is my girl really such a terror and a big bully！?  I asked Cheeky "Baby, why did you bite your friend?" She replied giggling "I thought it's a drumstick..." "DRUMSTICK??? Are you really that HUNGRRRRY???" Still giggling "No... I just thought that it's a drumstick..." What kinda reason was that！?  I was trying very hard not to laugh out and asked for the little girl, made sure that the bite was really not serious and made Cheeky apologized to her friend right in front of everyone. Telling them if she ever do that again, Mommy will pull out ALL her teeth！
That's not the first time Cheeky bite her friends and it can be very serious, this is why I'm very scared if I ever heard any complains from the school on this. Lucky from the day on, no such things happen again. 
So sorry for my long long grandmother's story about my Cheeky. Let's go straight to my Mom's Spicy Stewed Bitter Gourd with Porkbelly now！

Spicy Stewed Bitter Gourd with Porkbelly

    Ingredients for 4-6 Pax :

• 1 Big Bitter Gourd 
• 500g Porkbelly (About 2 thick strips)
• 1 Clove Garlic (Crushed with skin on)
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Salted Minced Bean Paste (You can use chilli bean paste if you prefer it more spicy)
• 1-2 Small Chillies (Cut thinly) Optional
• Little Light Soya Sauce to Taste
• 1 Big Bowl of Water

    How To Cook :

1. Cut the bitter gourd into half lengthwise and take out the seeds using a spoon. Rinse clean, cut half lengthwise again and then into big pieces. Sprinkle some salt on cut bitter gourd, mixed well and leave on for about 20 mins, rinse off and drained. This is to make sure the bitter gourd is not too bitter. 
2. Boil a small pot of water and 'wash' the porkbelly inside for a few mins. Take out, use a small knife to scrape the skin (you'll notice there is some white substance on the knife) and remove hairs if any. Rinse clean and cut into 1 inch thick.
3. Use little oil on low heat in a non-stick pan, fry crushed garlic awhile, add in minced garlic, minced bean paste, cut chillies and sugar. Mixed well until browned.
4. Add in porkbelly and stir fry for about 5 mins on medium heat.
5. Next, add in bitter gourd and fry together for about 2-3 mins. If there is some liquid appear, cover for 1 min on low heat.
6. Add in 1 big bowl of water, some light sauce to taste if necessary. Transfer all into a crock pot if you have. Bring to boil.
7. Cover and let it simmer on low heat for about half an hr or until the porkbelly is tender. (Personally I prefer the skin of the porkbelly to be very tender, so usually I'll simmer for at least 45 mins.)
8. Serve hot with plain rice.

Bitter gourd is known to helps in Diabetes and according to my parents, it helps to reduce body heatiness so whenever the weather gets too humid continuously for few days, we'll cook the bitter gourd soup with some meat for some flavor in soup and beaten eggs so that it's not so plain.