• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Wok and Kin logo

  • About
  • Asian Pantry Ingredients
    • Herbs & Aromatics
    • Vegetables and Leafy Greens
    • Dehydrated, Cured and Preserved Ingredients
    • Dry Spices
    • Everything You Need to Know About Asian Noodle Types
    • Sauces & Oils
  • Recipes
    • Appetisers
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Beef
    • Seafood
    • Egg
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
    • Rice
    • Noodles
    • Noodle Soup
    • Soup
    • Dessert
    • Sauces
    • Drinks
    • How-To’s
    • Asian-Inspired Holidays
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Beef
    • Seafood
    • Egg
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
    • Rice
    • Noodles
    • Noodle Soup
    • Soup
    • Dessert
    • Sauces
    • Drinks
    • How-To’s
    • Asian Holiday Recipes and Menus
  • Asian Pantry Ingredients
    • Herbs & Aromatics
    • Vegetables and Leafy Greens
    • Dehydrated, Cured and Preserved Ingredients
    • Dry Spices
    • Everything You Need to Know About Asian Noodle Types
    • Sauces & Oils
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Pork » Winter Melon Stir Fry

    Published: Aug 17, 2021 · Last Modified: Aug 17, 2021 by Jeannette ·

    Winter Melon Stir Fry

    Pin154
    Share
    Yum2
    Email
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Have dinner sorted with our homemade Winter Melon Stir Fry. It’s a simple and easy side dish with tender melon slices – so comforting over hot rice! Get a mouthful of textures from the deeply savory shrimp and silky noodle threads soaked in pork juices. Or jazz it up with your favorite protein!

    Winter Melon Stir Fry on a plate.

    The side dish your Grandma would love

    With Cantonese cuisine, there are the dishes that are well-recognized worldwide like Wonton Egg Noodle Soup (港式云吞面), Steamed Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸排骨) and Crispy Egg Noodles with Seafood (海鲜炒面).

    Then there are dishes like our family’s Winter Melon Stir Fry that are not only just as terrific, but a comforting classic all Cantonese families enjoy.

    These types of recipes are what I like to call the unsung heroes of family tradition.

    They’re the kinds of side dishes that take you right back to Grandma and Mum’s cooking. Served over hot rice, you’ll feel at home when you can pour generous spoonfuls of the sauce on top.

    The winter melon stays wonderfully sweet with a tender yet firm bite. Each noodle strand is packed with savoriness after it has soaked up all the stir fry juices.

    And to keep your taste buds craving for more, the rehydrated shrimps add sharp pops of umami for a simple and delicious side dish.

    All about winter melon

    A young winter melon.

    What is it

    Also known as dong gua (冬瓜) in Cantonese, winter melon is a type of fruit that goes through a few stages as it matures. At first, the young version has lots of short and soft hairs that cover its entire outer coat, which is why it’s sometimes referred to as ‘fuzzy melon’.

    As it starts to mature, the skin becomes waxy and tougher as the tiny hairs fall off. If you find the fruit like this, you might find shops calling it ‘wax gourd’. When it’s in this stage, the flavor will have deepened, making it perfect for soups.

    Taste

    There are a few flavor profiles for the fruit and it comes down to its age. The younger fuzzy version is sweeter and more tender to eat. This makes them a great choice for quick stir fries because they don’t take long to soften over high heat.

    It tastes similar to melons like honeydew, just without the sharp sweetness. You’ll find that as a fruit, it’s actually quite bland.

    The older version has a mature taste and the sweetness will have mellowed out. It’s also firmer with less liquid, which makes it perfect for slower cooking or stuffed as you would when making Yong Tau Fu (釀豆腐).

    Health Benefits

    Much like Chinese Herbal Tea (涼茶), winter melon is one of those fruits that are said to cool your body down. It helps to restore balance in the body after you’ve had food that causes inflammation, including deep fried and oily dishes.

    The fruit comes packed with vitamins B2 and C, which are important for vision health and assisting with the immune system. It’s also filled with a range of nutrients including fiber, potassium, zinc and phosphorus – all the more reason to make this healthy side dish!

    Winter Melon Stir Fry on a plate with chopsticks holding some up.

    Why this recipe works

    • The seasoning is kept simple to ensure this stays an easy and quick recipe.
    • Using dried shrimp adds pops of savory flavor.
    • Adding green bean threads means more texture to balance the dish.

    What you’ll need

    Bowls of spring onion segments, pork mince, rehydrated shrimp and green bean thread along with dishes of sesame oil, oyster sauce, minced garlic, potato starch and chicken bouillon powder alongside a winter melon.

    About the ingredients

    We used pork mince for this recipe, but you can use whichever protein you like. Chicken mince or thighs are also great options.

    You can get all the ingredients from Asian supermarkets. If you want to make this dish vegetarian, swap out the oyster sauce for a substitute and use a vegetable stock powder instead of chicken bouillon.

    How to make this recipe

    Marinated mince in a bowl.

    Marinate the mince in the oyster sauce, salt, sugar, 3/4 tbsp chicken bouillon powder, sesame oil and potato starch. Set aside while you work on the other ingredients.

    Cut winter melon in a bowl.

    Peel the winter melon and cut it into thin strips, roughly 10cm (4″) long and 0.75cm (0.3″) wide. Leave them in a bowl for later.

    Note: You won’t have to remove the seeds because they’re edible when cooked.

    Cooked mince in a pan.

    Heat up a wok or pan on high heat and pour in the cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic in and cook for 30 seconds. Add the marinated mince and stir for 2 minutes or until 80% cooked.

    Cooked mince and shrimp in a pan.

    Throw in the rehydrated shrimp and stir through for 20 seconds.

    Winter melon strips and shrimp in a pan.

    Add the winter melon in, season with 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder and stir fry for 3 minutes. Pour in the water and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the fruit starts to become translucent.

    Winter melon strips, green bean thread and shrimp in a pan.

    Put the green bean thread in and toss through for 2 minutes.

    Winter Melon Stir Fry in a pan.

    Add the spring onions and stir them through for 20 seconds.

    Serve immediately as is!

    Recipe FAQs

    Can you eat the skin?

    As with many fruits, you can certainly eat the skin. But when cooked, it turns tough and chewy, which may not be as enjoyable. If you want to keep it on, it might be better when cooking the melon in a soup so it helps to keep the shape in tact.

    Can I skip the shrimp?

    Certainly! Adding the shrimp is mostly for added flavor, but if you don’t have any available, have allergies or simple don’t like the taste, then just leave it out.

    Why is my winter melon still hard?

    Some families prefer it firmer, but if you like it soft, then you’ll need to let it cook down until it becomes close to translucent. To speed that up, put a lid on top and let it simmer for a few minutes.

    Tips for the best results

    • Divide the cooking into smaller portions. You don’t want to overcrowd the wok, otherwise you’ll end up boiling everything.
    • Don’t cook the green bean thread for too long. The longer they cook, the more liquid they’ll absorb. This expands the noodles and makes it lose its elasticity.
    • Save the shrimp water. You can substitute part of the stock or water with the liquid used to soak the dehydrated shrimp in. This will help to bring out more flavor.
    • Use a fattier mince. Like we do with our Chinese Seaweed Soup (紫菜汤) and Xíu Mại (Vietnamese Meatballs in Tomato Sauce), it ensures each bite is juicy and seasoned with porky flavor.
    Winter Melon Stir Fry on a plate.

    What to serve it with

    • Get the palette going with these deliciously simple Steamed Oysters with Ginger and Shallots.
    • Braised Chicken with Mushrooms, Black Fungus and Lily Flowers (金針雞), Crispy Rainbow Beef (牛柳丝) and Steamed Pork Belly with Salted Radish are the perfect side dishes to go with a Winter Melon Stir Fry.
    • Keep things humble by enjoying a family-sized Chinese Seaweed Soup (紫菜汤).
    • Sweet Potato and Ginger Dessert Soup (番薯糖水) will wrap everything up in sweetness!

    Want more home cooked recipes?

    Subscribe to our email list and be the first to get recipe updates as soon as they’re posted. You can also follow Wok & Kin on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter!

    Winter Melon Stir Fry on a plate.

    Winter Melon Stir Fry

    Winter Melon Stir Fry is a simple dish with tender melon slices! Get a mouthful of textures from the shrimp and noodles soaked in pork juices.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 288kcal
    Author: Jeannette

    Ingredients

    • 1 kg / 2.2 lb winter melon (we get it from the Asian supermarket)
    • 40 g / 0.09 lb green bean thread (or vermicelli; soaked for 10 minutes in cool water, then drained)
    • 250 g / 0.55 lb pork mince
    • 50 g / 0.11 lb rehydrated shrimp
    • 3 sprig spring onion (cut into 3cm/1.2" pieces)
    • 2 US cup water (or chicken stock)
    • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
    • 1 1/4 tbsp oyster sauce
    • 1 1/2 tsp salt (or to preference)
    • 1 tsp sugar (or to preference)
    • 1 1/3 tbsp chicken bouillon powder (1/3 tbsp for the mince marinade and 1 tbsp for the vegetables)
    • 3/4 tbsp potato starch
    • 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
    • 4 tbsp cooking oil

    Instructions

    • Marinate the mince in the oyster sauce, salt, sugar, 3/4 tbsp chicken bouillon powder, sesame oil and potato starch. Set aside while you work on the other ingredients.
    • Peel the winter melon and cut it into thin strips, roughly 10cm (4") long and 0.75cm (0.3") wide. Leave them in a bowl for later.
      Note: You won't have to remove the seeds because they're edible when cooked.
    • Heat up a wok or pan on high heat and pour in the cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic in and cook for 30 seconds. Add the marinated mince and stir for 2 minutes or until 80% cooked.
    • Throw in the rehydrated shrimp and stir through for 20 seconds.
    • Add the winter melon in, season with 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder and stir fry for 3 minutes. Pour in the water and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the fruit starts to become translucent.
    • Put the green bean thread in and toss through for 2 minutes.
    • Add the spring onions and stir them through for 20 seconds.
    • Serve immediately as is!

    Notes

    • Divide the cooking into smaller portions. You don't want to overcrowd the wok, otherwise you'll end up boiling everything.
    • Don't cook the green bean thread for too long. The longer they cook, the more liquid they'll absorb. This expands the noodles and makes it lose its elasticity.
    • Save the shrimp water. You can substitute part of the stock or water with the liquid used to soak the dehydrated shrimp in. This will help to bring out more flavor.
    • Use a fattier mince. Doing so ensures each bite is juicy and seasoned with porky flavor.
    • We used pork mince for this recipe, but you can use whichever protein you like. Chicken mince or thighs are also great options.
    • You can get all the ingredients from Asian supermarkets.
    • If you want to make this dish vegetarian, swap out the oyster sauce for a substitute and use a vegetable stock powder instead of chicken bouillon.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 1279mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me TODAY!If you recreated this authentic recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @wokandkin.

    Join the family!

    Share the love:

    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
    • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
    « 100-Hour Fudgy Matcha Brownies
    Bì Chay (Vegetarian Shredded Pork) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elle @ Spice and Life says

      August 25, 2021 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      What a great recipe! I never thought of using winter melon this way and now I am in absolute love with it. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        August 26, 2021 at 8:44 am

        Thanks, Elle! It sure is a fabulous ingredient!

        Reply
    2. Beth says

      August 25, 2021 at 9:39 pm

      5 stars
      Oh wow! What a delicious and very flavorful dish! The family is just going to love this winter melon stir fry and all the flavors. I’m so excited to make this for dinner tonight!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        August 26, 2021 at 8:43 am

        Thanks, Beth! Have a great time making this one 😀

        Reply
    3. Gina says

      August 25, 2021 at 10:05 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve seen this melon in the store but never knew what to do with it until now. Picked one up and tried this recipe and we absolutely LOVE it!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        August 26, 2021 at 8:42 am

        That’s wonderful to hear, Gina! Glad you love it!

        Reply
    4. Kushigalu says

      August 25, 2021 at 10:41 pm

      5 stars
      Your pics are amazing. What a delicious and flavorful stir fry recipe. My family will love this.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        August 26, 2021 at 8:41 am

        Thank you, Kushigalu! Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Natalie says

      August 25, 2021 at 11:30 pm

      5 stars
      That sounds really interesting and delicious. Easy, light, and healthy. My family loves stir fry. I will make this for dinner tomorrow. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        August 26, 2021 at 8:40 am

        It sure is! I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do!

        Reply
    5 from 6 votes (1 rating without comment)

    Leave A Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Let’s be Friends

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • YouTube

    Sweeten Your Day!

    Mango pancakes on a board with mint and a bowl of sliced mango

    Yum Cha Mango Pancakes (芒果班戟)

    Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls in a bowl with a spoon in it.

    Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls (Chè Trôi Nước)

    Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie in a cup in front of a second cup and avocados

    Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie (Sinh Tố Bơ)

    Thạch Dừa pieces on a plate with mint on top.

    Thạch Dừa (Vietnamese Coconut Jelly)

    Taro and Sweet Potato Balls Dessert in a bowl with a wooden spoon in it.

    Taro and Sweet Potato Balls Dessert (九份芋圓)

    Sweet Potato and Ginger Dessert Soup in a pot.

    Sweet Potato and Ginger Dessert Soup (番薯糖水)

    Reader Favorites

    Braised Abalone with Mushrooms in a pot surrounded by a teapot, teacups with tea and a dish of mushrooms

    Braised Abalone with Mushrooms (红烧鲍菇)

    Ham Sui Gok on a board with chopsticks, tea and dishes of chili sauce and spring onions

    Ham Sui Gok (Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings 咸水角)

    Chicken curry and noodles in a bowl

    Cà Ri Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Curry)

    Chicken rice in a rice cooker with a wooden spoon

    Rice Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Rice

    Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil in a bowl with a wooden spoon next to it.

    Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil

    Grilled pork chops with spring onions on a plate with tomatoes, cucmbers and fish sauce

    Sườn Nướng (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops)

    As Featured On

    Wok & Kin

    About

    Contact

    Privacy Policy

     

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • X

    Food Lovers

    Recipe Index

    Things We Love

    Subscribe

     

    Copyright © 2025 · Brunch Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

    Winter Melon Stir Fry on a plate.
    Winter Melon Stir Fry on a plate with chopsticks holding some up.
    Winter Melon Stir Fry on a plate.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.