Whip up funky Burmese bitter melon broth with squash. This gourds and squashes recipe balances earthy greens + umami in 35 minutes.
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Let’s talk about broth. Not the sad, afterthought broth from a cube, but the kind that hums with depth, dances with umami, and cradles chunks of the most underrated veggies on earth: gourds and squashes recipe.
Burmese cuisine—with its fish sauce funk, floral aromatics, and the brothy hinjo sipped like liquid zen—turns these humble ingredients into pure magic.
I am here to geek out about why this is your next kitchen adventure.
Gourds vs. Squashes: A Drama in the Cucurbit Family
First, clarity. Gourds (like bitter melon, bottle gourd, chayote) are the wild cousins: often bitter, seedy, and packed with personality.
Squashes (butternut, kabocha, acorn) are sweeter, fleshier, and more predictable. Burmese Cooks? They use both sometimes in the same pot because why choose?
The Broth Blueprint: Why Burmese “Hinjo” Hits Different?
In Burma (or Myanmar, whichever you vibe with), broth is not just a starter—it is a palate resetter. Sipped between bites of curry or rice, it is a light, aromatic, and always veggies-forward.
The base? usually a gentle simmer of garlic, onion, tomatoes, and a hit of fish sauce or shrimp paste for that umami kick. Vegetarian? Swirl in nori or tamarind for depth.
Why you will love this gourds and squashes recipe?
Yes, this is a gourds and squashes recipe you’ll obsess over. It is bold, balanced, and uses bitter melon greens + baby squash (gourds AND squashes unite!).
Imagine a broth that is earthy, savory, and slightly bitter – like that cool friend who tells you hard truths. Traditionally sipped between fiery Burmese curries, it is a palate reset with attitude.
Burmese Bitter Melon Greens Broth
Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4
Vibe: Umami, herbaceous, lightly spicy
🛒Grocery List
| Gourds and Squashes | Aromatics | Pantry Heroes |
| 2 cups bitter melon greens (leaves+ tender stems) | 4 garlic cloves, smashed | 3 tbsp. fish sauce or vegan sub |
| 1 cup baby squash, sliced | 1 thumb ginger, grated | 1 tbsp. dried shrimp powder (optional) |
| 1 bitter melon, thinly sliced | 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised | 1 tsp. turmeric |
| 2 tomatoes, chopped | chili flakes | |
| 1 onion, sliced | 4 cups veg/chicken broth |
Step-by-Step: Broth Therapy
In a pot, add 1 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sizzle for 3 minutes.
Add ginger, lemongrass, and tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are slump.
Crush tomatoes with your spoon, release those juices.
Pour in 4 cups of broth and 1 tsp. turmeric.
Simmer for 10 minutes and strain out solids.
Straining = silkier broth, skip if you are lazy.
Return broth to pot and bring it to gentle bubbles.
Add bitter melon greens and baby squash.
Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until greens wilt and squash turns tender crisp.
Stir in 3 tbsp. fish sauce and 1 tbsp. shrimp powder.
Now add chili flakes.
Ladle broth into bowls and top with fried shallots (crunchy gold), fresh cilantro (freshness bomb), and a squeeze of lime (squeeze it like you mean it).
→Must serve with Jasmine rice. Burmese etiquette 101 → Dunk rice into broth → bite → sip broth → repeat. This is a meditation with a spoon.
♻️ Leftover Magic
Broth alone? Freeze in ice cubes→ Future ramen base or rice cooker secret weapon.
soggy veggies? sauté with eggs + soy sauce → breakfast of reluctant champions.
Add chili crisp, sambal, or betel leaves to spice it up(Just kidding, unless..)
📣 “Real Talk From My Kitchen”
This broth is not shy. It is bitter, bold, and unapologetically alive. The first sip surprises. The second sip intrigues. By the third, you are texting friends. WTF is bitter melon and why I am obsessed?
This gourds and squashes recipe is the cold brew of soups—Acquired taste? Maybe. Addictive? Absolutely. This gourds and squashes recipe is a rebellion against boring food.
Wrap It Up: Satisfying gourds and squashes recipe
This Burmese bitter melon is not just soup. It is a liquid audacity. You tamed wild gourds, hugged sweet squash, and spun chaos into soul-warming magic.
“Now go slurp proudly, tweak fiercely (extra chili? yes!), and remember: the best kitchens are rebel bases. Made it? Tag me @onlyasianfoodblog—I’m lurking for your funky creations.”
*Ready to riot beyond broth? Join the rebellion: Try this amazing gourds and squashes recipe.
- 🌶️Spice up your life with my fire-breathing Spicy Bowl Recipe —It’s a tropical punch in the face.
- 🎃Humble Starbucks with my viral Starbucks Cake Pop Recipe—so good, they’ll rename fall after you.
Stay spicy. Stay shameless. Keep cooking trouble.”*
Burmese Broth: Gourds and Squashes Recipe That Slaps
Ingredients
- 2 cups bitter melon greens leaves + tender stems
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 3 tbsp fish sauce or vegan sub
- 1 cup baby squash pattypan/zucchini, sliced
- 1 thumb ginger grated
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp powder optional
- 1 bitter melon optional, thinly sliced
- 1 lemongrass stalk bruised
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- Chili flakes to slay
- 1 onion sliced
- 4 cups veg/chicken broth
Instructions
- In a pot, add 1 tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sizzle for 3 minutes. Add ginger, lemongrass, and tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are slump. Crush tomatoes with your spoon, release those juices.
- Pour in 4 cups of broth and 1 tsp. turmeric. Simmer for 10 minutes and strain out solids. Straining = silkier broth, skip if you are lazy.
- Return broth to the pot and bring it to gentle bubbles. Add bitter melon greens and baby squash. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until greens wilt and squash turns tender crisp.
- Stir in 3 tbsp. fish sauce and 1 tbsp. shrimp powder.Now add chili flakes.
- Ladle broth into bowls and top with fried shallots, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
