Winter melon is specifically used for cooking and is not meant to be eaten raw. Winter melon turns translucent and soft when cooked and has a refreshing sweetness to it. However, it does not contribute a lot of taste to a dish and instead absorbs the flavors of the ingredients it is combined with, making it ideal for soups.
Winter melon soup is a light and flavourful dish that is a popular in Chinese households. Made with chicken, ginger and Shiitake mushrooms, this soup is both comforting and nourishing.
Ingredients
- 900g Winter melon
- 800g bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks (skin on or skin-off)
- 15g ginger sliced, 5 long slices
- 4 large caps fresh shiitake mushrooms
- 5 cups water room temperature
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper pr to taste
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
- Coriander garnish
Serves: 6
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour
Method
- Trim off the outer skin of the winter melon until the white flesh is visible. Scoop out the seeds, and dice the melon into 1-inch cubes for even cooking.
- Pat the chicken dry then place in a pot with the ginger and mushrooms. Pour in the water until it just touches the top of the ingredients (about 5 cups)
- Cover with a lid and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes, add the diced winter melon and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the melon turns translucent and can easily be pierced with a fork or chopstick but isn’t mushy.
- While the soup is still boiling, season it to taste with salt, pepper, and bouillon powder. Add a splash of Chinese cooking wine for authentic flavor. Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro. Shred the chicken, discard the bones, and return the shredded chicken to the soup. Then serve.