Beef Ampalaya with Oyster Sauce

Normally when we prepare bitter gourd or ampalaya, we would saute it with tomatoes, garlic and onions. But for a change, I decided to add slices of beef to make it a complete meal with rice. My mom would tell me to rub salt on the gourd to remove the bitter taste. While doing this, no sound must be uttered during the whole process else the bitterness would still be present. I don't know if this bares any truth but I always end up with a not so bitter dish and everyone enjoys it.

Ingredients:
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 head of an onion, chopped
100 -150 grams of beef loin, pounded and sliced to 1x1/2"
300 - 400 grams of bitter gourd or ampalaya, deseeded, sliced into 1/4" thick
2-3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tsp. sugar
oil
salt
water

Cooking procedure:

Rub gourd with salt and leave for 5 minutes. Rinse and squeeze out the excess liquid.
Pour a small amount of oil in a medium non-stick wok. Saute beef until color changed. Add the garlic, onion and stir until fragrant. Add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce. Add water, about 1/4 cup. Simmer until the beef is tender. Add the gourd and simmer for 1-2 minutes covered or until it is half way done. If the water is not enough, add another 1/4 cup. Drop in the sugar, stir and simmer for another 2 minutes or until the gourd is cooked. (Personally I leave the gourd, half cooked so that there would still be texture, crunch and the color would still be bright green).
Remove from heat and serve.