From: Atypicalfare.com

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1 bitter melon (sliced, thinly)

1-2 cups woodear mushrooms (sliced, thinly)

½ red onion (sliced, thinly)

2 handfuls cilantro (chopped)

3 Tbsp peanuts (dry-roasted and unsalted)

3 cloves garlic (minced or crushed)

2 stalks green onions (chopped)

2 small Thai chili peppers (optional) (chopped)

2 tsp roasted sesame seeds

1½ Tbsp peanut oil

½ Tbsp sesame oil

½ tsp sugar

2 Tbsp light soy sauce

1 quart water

1 Tbsp sugar

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1. Chop 2 stalks green onions and mince or crush 3 cloves garlic. Add them in a small bowl.

2. Chop and add 2 small Thai chili peppers (optional), if using, and 2 tsp roasted sesame seeds.

3. In a small milk pot, heat 1½ Tbsp peanut oil on medium-high. To test whether the oil is hot enough, stick a chopstick in and see whether bubbles form around it. The oil should be hot enough when bubbles forms rapidly around the chopstick.

4. Turn off the heat, remove the small milk pot from the stove, and pour the hot oil over the aromatics in the small bowl you had just prepared. There will be sizzling sounds and aromas!Note: I didn't have enough oil to pour over all the aromatics, so I picked garlic and sesame seeds.

5. Add ½ Tbsp sesame oil, ½ tsp sugar, and 2 Tbsp light soy sauce.

6. Give the dressing a good mix, and it's ready to use.

7. Cut 1 bitter melon in half, then use a spoon to remove the pith and seeds.

8. Once the pith and seeds are removed, slice the bitter melon thinly. Each slice should be about 0.25-inch (0.635 cm).

9. Wash and chop 2 handfuls cilantro. Wash and thinly slice 1-2 cups woodear mushrooms and ½ red onion. Set them aside.

10. Prepare a soup pot for blanching and bring 1 quart water to a boil.

11. Add the sliced woodear mushrooms to the boiling water, and blanch for about one minute.

12. Take the woodear mushroom slices out and into a bowl of ice water to crisp them up. Once the woodear mushroom slices have cooled down, drain the water, and set them aside for assembly later. You can take the woodear mushroom slices out and reuse the cold water (add ice if you would like) to cool down the blanched bitter melon slices.

13. In the same pot of water for blanching, add 1 Tbsp sugar, sliced bitter melon, and blanch for about one minute.

14. Take the bitter melon slices out and place them in a bowl to cool down. To cool them down faster, you can reuse the cold water (add ice if you would like) that was used to cool down the woodear mushroom slices.Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out any excess water and place them in a large mixing bowl for assembly.

15. In the same large mixing bowl, add the woodear mushroom slices, red onion slices, and gently mix them.

16. Pour the dressing you had just prepared and mix.

17. Finally, add 2 handfuls cilantro (chopped), 3 Tbsp peanuts, and give everything a good mix.

18. Serve and enjoy!