Bitter Melon Salad

1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. Open the package of 14 oz medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) and drain the tofu.
3. Cut 8 oz bitter melon (bitter gourd or goya) in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon.
4. Cut the bitter melon into ⅛-inch (3-mm) slices (or thinner, if you prefer).
5. Cook the bitter melon in salted boiling water for 3–5 minutes (depending on your liking) and drain well.
6. Soak the cooked bitter melon in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain it really well. You can use a clean kitchen towel to dry it.
7. Meanwhile, wrap the tofu with a paper towel on top of a large plate. Microwave the tofu for 2 minutes (1000W) to further drain the water. Discard the excess water and let it cool.
8. Grate the ginger and collect about 1 tsp ginger (grated, including the juice).
9. Grind 4 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds well. You can leave some sesame seeds ungrounded for texture.
10. In a large bowl, combine all the seasoning ingredients: 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1½ tsp sugar, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the grated ginger, and the ground sesame seeds. Mix it all together.
11. Add the cooled tofu and bitter melon to the bowl with the seasonings.
12. Toss it all together. You can serve it at room temperature or you can chill it for half an hour before serving. Enjoy!

To Store

1. The tofu continues to release moisture, so I recommend serving this salad on the same day and not keeping leftovers.