Find pure comfort in Grandma’s Chinese Winter Melon Soup! This 5-ingredient recipe is great for when you don’t have much time to prep – once you have a stock, all you need to do is add the fruit in to simmer and you’re ready to go.
If you love using this ingredient, try it in a stir fry!
The version to come back to
I’ve been wanting to post Grandma’s Chinese Winter Melon Soup recipe for a long time. After all, when you’ve been sharing your family’s more elaborate dishes in the three and a half years you’ve been blogging, sometimes it’s nice to go back to the basics!
This Cantonese classic is exactly that – simple, humble and super comforting (as all of Grandma’s soups are).
I’ve come to learn that there are a few different versions of this recipe from different families, but I love this one the most. Here’s why:
- After all the simmering, the fruit becomes incredibly tender and deep with flavor.
- It’s the perfect way to end a family dinner because it’s light, which helps to cleanse the palette.
- Biting into chunks of the fruit is so satisfying as it melts in your mouth.
If you’re after a recipe that’ll take you right back home, this is it!
Is winter melon cooling or heating?
Growing up in a Chinese and Vietnamese household, I’ve come to understand that there are many foods that have cooling and heating properties. This has a lot to do with balancing the body’s yin and yang to promote harmony within the body.
Foods that are known to cool your body down from symptoms such as pimples, nose bleeds, agitation, coughing and sweating (all from the body being too ‘hot’) include:
- Banana
- Chinese Herbal Tea (涼茶)
- Cucumber
- Bitter Melon
- Winter Melon
So if your body’s feeling a little ‘hot’ or ‘yeet hay’, stay away from durian and fried food and welcome a nice bowl of cooling soup!
Why this recipe works
- Cutting the fruit into large chunks helps to keep its shape so it doesn’t become mush.
- Simmering for an additional 30 minutes softens the fruit to allow the soup’s flavor to infuse into it.
- You’ll only need 5 ingredients to complete this recipe and most can be found in Asian pantries.
What you’ll need
About the ingredients
This recipe is very simple with just the shiitake mushrooms and dried scallops for additional flavor, but you can modify it by using more ingredients for added taste. Here are some alternatives or additions you might like:
Dried ingredients
- Dried squid
- Apricot kernels
- Goji berries
- Dried red dates
- Dried honey dates
- Green bean thread/cellophane noodles
Fresh ingredients
- Coriander
- Spring onions/cilantro
- Carrots
- Meatballs
Whether you plan to make your soup simple or more complex, they’ll both be a fantastic comfort food!
How to make this recipe
As you simmer the chicken and pork stock, season it with the salt and chicken bouillon powder. Add the dehydrated shiitake mushrooms and scallops in and let it continue to cook for a total of 3 hours for the stock meat to soften.
Meanwhile, peel the winter melon and cut them into large chunks, roughly 12cm (4.7″) thick.
Note: You can remove the seeds if you like, but Grandma usually leaves them in there.
Once the 3 hours of stock cooking time is up, remove the meat and bones, then add the fruit in. Let it continue to simmer for another 30-45 minutes or until semi-translucent.
Enjoy hot as is!
Recipe FAQs
The closest alternative would be fuzzy melon. If you can’t get that either, vegetables with a similar flavor profile would be chayote, Chinese cabbage or watermelon rind (make sure to cook it for longer to soften).
Keep in mind that using different produce would mean different cooking times.
I would suggest using chicken stock cubes or bouillon powder to give it a base flavor, then season with salt to taste.
For any leftovers, you can transfer it into smaller containers with lids or keep it in the pot with the lid on. Place it straight into the fridge when cool and it will keep well for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply put it back on the stovetop or use a microwave.
Tips for the best results
- Use fresh winter melon. Whether it’s homegrown or produce from the fruit market, always opt for the freshest ones.
- Make your own stock. While it’s easier to buy pre-made stock, making your own means you have complete control over the flavor and ingredients.
- Keep the pieces chunky. Since this is a Cantonese-style soup, the ingredients are typically simmered for some time. To ensure that the fruit keeps its shape, cut the pieces on the larger side.
What to serve it with
- Have a fresh start with a serving of Smashed Cucumber Salad (拍黄瓜).
- Line the table with bowls to rice to serve with Grandma’s Crispy Pork and Pickled Mustard Greens Stir Fry and Easy Boneless Grilled Chicken Thighs.
- Stir Fried Water Spinach with Fermented Bean Curd (炒腐乳空心菜) is a great way to get the vegetables in.
- Give everything a spicy kick with homemade XO Sauce (XO 酱).
- Learn how to make Grass Jelly from scratch to serve as a healthy and refreshing post-meal dessert!
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Chinese Winter Melon Soup (冬瓜湯)
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 L / 14.8 US cup chicken and pork stock
- 2 winter melon (we get it from Asian supermarkets)
- 20 g / 0.04 lb dehydrated scallop
- 3 dehydrated shiitake mushroom
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
Instructions
- As you simmer the chicken and pork stock, season it with the salt and chicken bouillon powder.
- Add the dehydrated shiitake mushrooms and scallops in and let it continue to cook for a total of 3 hours for the stock meat to soften.
- Meanwhile, peel the winter melon and cut them into large chunks, roughly 12cm (4.7") thick.Note: You can remove the seeds if you like, but Grandma usually leaves them in there.
- Once the 3 hours of stock cooking time is up, remove the meat and bones, then add the fruit in. Let it continue to simmer for another 30-45 minutes or until semi-translucent.
- Enjoy hot as is!
Notes
- Use fresh winter melon. Whether it's homegrown or produce from the fruit market, always opt for the freshest ones.
- Make your own stock. While it's easier to buy pre-made stock, making your own means you have complete control over the flavor and ingredients.
- Keep the pieces chunky. Since this is a Cantonese-style soup, the ingredients are typically simmered for some time. To ensure that the fruit keeps its shape, cut the pieces on the larger side.
- You can add or substitute ingredients to this recipe using dried squid, apricot kernels, goji berries, dried red and honey dates, cellphone/green bean thread noodles, coriander, spring onions/cilantro, carrots and/or meatballs.
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