Chinese Winter Melon Soup (冬瓜湯)

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Chinese Winter Melon Soup is incredibly easy - once you have a stock, all you need to do is add the fruit in to simmer and you're ready to go!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Chicken and Pork Stock Cooking Time3

Total Time4

Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: Asian, Cantonese, Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 169kcal

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!

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.