Halve the bitter melon lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and white pith with a spoon. Slice into 5 mm half-moons, trimming away any spongy collapsed spots. Slice the carrot thin for color and sweetness.

Thaw the tofu skin (豆包) and tear it into bite-sized strips with your fingers — torn edges grip the sauce better than knife-cut edges. Hand-tear the oyster mushrooms into strips and keep them separate, as they go into the pan first.

Heat the pan, add the oil, and lay the oyster mushrooms in a single layer. Leave them for a minute or two to take on color instead of steaming. Once golden and fragrant, add the torn tofu skin and pan-fry until golden at the edges, then add the carrot and sliced bitter melon and toss together.

Push the vegetables to one side and add 1 tbsp fermented black beans, 1 tbsp soy sauce, ½ tsp white pepper and ½ tsp sugar. Let them sizzle in the oil for 20-30 seconds until toasted and aromatic, then toss everything together until evenly coated.

Pour 150 mL of water down the side of the pan and bring to a simmer, then add the remaining 100 mL (250 mL total). Cover and braise on medium-low for 20 minutes, opening the lid once at the halfway mark to flip the bottom layer to the top. The melon is done when it yields to a chopstick and the sauce has gone dark and clingy.

Plate the braise, then drizzle 1-2 tsp cold-pressed perilla oil (紫蘇油) over the top. Perilla oil is a finishing oil — never fry with it. Serve hot with plain rice.