Name: Winter Melon Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1000 g pork ribs; 3 slices ginger; 10 g scallion; 2 tbsp cooking wine; 3 slices ginger; 10 g scallion; 2 tbsp cooking wine; 5 g Sichuan peppercorn; 1- liter hot water; 1 tbsp pepper powder; 400 g winter melon; Salt to taste; Chicken bouillon

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There are many ways to prepare winter melon, from winter melon tea to stir fry dishes. In this recipe, we discover how to cook winter melon as a traditional Chinese winter melon soup with pork ribs. It is a delicious light soup with a note of sweetness of winter melon, rich broth from the pork ribs, and a pack of flavor from a mix of vegetables and spices. It is the most comforting soup that melts in your mouth.

What Is Winter Melon Ribs Soup?
The Benefits Of Winter Melon Ribs Soup
Tips And Suggestions For Making Winter Melon Ribs Soup
Storage Guidelines For Winter Melon Ribs Soup
What You Need For Winter Melon Ribs Soup Recipe
Step-By-Step Instructions: Winter Melon Ribs Soup Recipe

What Is Winter Melon Ribs Soup?

Winter Melon Ribs Soup (冬瓜汤) is a popular dish in China made with pork ribs, winter melon chunks, chicken bouillon, and vegetables and spices. Winter melon, or dong gua (冬瓜) in Mandarin, is similar to a cross of watermelon and cucumber. It is mildly sweet and full of water that pairs well with the savory pork ribs.

You may also know this fruit as ash gourd, tallow gourd, ash pumpkin, and white gourd, to name a few. It has a light green skin and white flesh. There are many ways to use it, from turning it into a winter melon tea drink to a stir-fried dish and candy.

In this recipe, we are going to cook winter melon into a hearty soup with blanched pork ribs for a rich and flavorful broth. Adding to the broth’s richness are vegetables and spices, including ginger, scallion, Sichuan peppercorn, cooking wine, pepper powder, and chicken bouillon. It is a simple dish that only needs blanching and boiling methods.

The Benefits Of Winter Melon Ribs Soup

Let’s break it down to why winter melon soup is absolutely beneficial and heartwarming. Not only does winter melon bring the soup’s mildly sweet broth, but it also has several health benefits you’ll love. Winter melon is a superfood rich in nutrients and antioxidants.

It is high in fiber, which helps promote proper digestion, optimal bowel movements, and gut health. In addition, it contains high amounts of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), a vitamin helpful for optimal eye health and migraines. Aside from that, it contains high levels of zinc, potassium, and iron, as well as antioxidants such as Vitamin C.

As we all know, Vitamin C eliminates free radicals and toxins and boosts a healthy heart and immunity. With the added ginger, it helps reduce inflammation, improve immunity, and enhance digestion. Scallions are also considered a superfood since they are rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Although pork ribs are a good source of protein, it is also high in fat, cholesterol, and calories. Per 100g of pork ribs, you get about 27g of protein, 11.6g of fat, 58mg of sodium, and 89mg of cholesterol. You might want to limit your consumption of pork ribs if you are conscious of your fat, cholesterol, and calorie intake.

Tips And Suggestions For Making Winter Melon Ribs Soup

There are a few things you should know first before making winter melon ribs soup. Listed below are some of my suggestions when it comes to picking out a mature winter melon and ingredient substitutions. Moreover, I share with you a few cooking tips and techniques you can do when cooking this dish.

Pick A Mature Winter Melon

When buying winter melons, you can get whole fruit or sliced. Should you decide to buy a whole fruit, go for an ashy-looking or hoarfrost appearance. It should be smooth and firm to hold without spots or breaks. Moreover, it should also feel heavy, not light. Heavier winter melons are the ones that have more water and less flesh, which usually tastes better than lighter ones.
When buying pre-sliced winter melon, check if the flesh is white and the seeds are yellow. You want to stir away from the ones with yellow flesh since these are almost old and do not taste as good as fresh winter melon.

How To Prepare Winter Melon

Make sure to remove the skin and seeds before cooking. Use a vegetable peeler or knife to remove the skin.
Cut the winter melon into chunks about 2 inches big. You can start by cutting it in half or three parts. Then, cut into your desired shape and size. For me, I like to cut it into thin 2-inch slices. It’s up to you if you want it diced or baton slices.

Cooking Tips For Winter Melon Ribs Soup

You can use large pork bones combined with ribs, making the broth fuller and richer.
Blanching the pork ribs before cooking the soup is essential in this recipe. This method will make your soup clearer since the impurities and foam are removed during blanching. It is an optional step, but I do recommend not skipping this part to clean the meat and avoid having unpleasant foam or scum in the soup.
You can use a regular metal pot for blanching the pork ribs. However, for cooking the main recipe, I highly recommend using a clay pot to boil all the ingredients together. Although clay pots take longer to heat, it retains heat better and cooks the soup slowly and gently without burning it too fast. It keeps your food warm for longer periods and generally improves the quality of the soup.
Using a pressure cooker or slow cooker can speed up the cooking time for this recipe. The cooking time may still depend on the ingredients used and the amount.

Storage Guidelines For Winter Melon Ribs Soup

Like most dishes, you can store winter melon ribs soup in the fridge for up to three days as long as it is stored in a sealed container. It’s important to keep it sealed to prevent the soup from absorbing odors from other foods in the fridge and maintain the texture of the meat and vegetables. If you made a large batch or have leftovers for this soup, you can prolong its shelf life even longer in the freezer. However, the quality and texture may deteriorate the longer it stays in the freezer.

What You Need For Winter Melon Ribs Soup Recipe

In order to prepare this meal, you need a few common kitchen items, such as a pot for blanching and a ladle strainer for straining. You will also need a clay casserole pot for a steady cooking process. If you don’t have one, you can simply use the regular cooking pot to boil the ingredients together.

Kitchenware

Pan or pot for blanching
Clay casserole pot
Spatula for stirring
Ladle strainer
Knife for chopping
Chopping board

Ingredients

Blanching

1000g pork ribs
3 slices ginger
10g scallion
2 tbsp cooking wine

Cooking

3 slices ginger
10g scallion
2 tbsp cooking wine
5g Sichuan peppercorn
1-liter hot water
1 tbsp pepper powder
400g winter melon
Salt to taste
Chicken bouillon

Step-By-Step Instructions: Winter Melon Ribs Soup Recipe

Now that you have gathered the ingredients and kitchenware, you can begin making winter melon ribs soup! This recipe starts with blanching the pork ribs beforehand and preparing the most essential ingredient, winter melon. Once these ingredients are ready, you can begin boiling everything together with vegetables and spices.

Here’s a detailed step-by-step instruction on how to cook winter melon ribs soup:

Add 1000g pork ribs and cold water to the pot with 3 slices of ginger, 10g scallion, and 2 tbsp cooking wine. You can blanch it for 3 to 4 minutes in boiling water.

Remove the froth or foam from the water.

Then, rinse the pork ribs with cold water. Next, put the ribs into the clay pot.

In the clay pot, add 3 slices of ginger, 10g scallion, 5g Sichuan peppercorn, 1-liter hot water, 2 tbsp cooking wine, and 1 tbsp pepper powder.

Bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat to low fire and cook for 1 hour. While the pot is heating, prepare your 400g winter melon. Remove the skin and cut the winter melon into small chunks.

Wash the winter melon chunks and don’t forget to remove the seeds as well. Then, add the winter melon chunks into the clay pot and cook for 20 minutes more. Next, add salt to taste and chicken bouillon.

Serve while hot and enjoy a heartwarming soup!