Expat Living – Enjoying the fresh taste of summer with a Chinese touch

4 Aug 2022

July to August is typically the world’s warmest period of the year, with the weather usually lying between 27 to 31 degrees. How to beat the heat? The Chinese believed that eating Yin food could help our bodies to counter the summer heat and humidity. Winter melon happens to be one of the Yin food, so the Chinese usually enjoy the winter melon soup in summer. Not only can it resist the heat, but it is also very delicious that many households and Chinese banquets will serve this soup. Want to learn how to make the Chinese favourite? Take a look at the following receipts! 

There are many different ways to prepare winter melon soup; this recipe uses shiitake mushrooms and pork ribs. You can get these ingredients at the supermarket or local market easily.

Ingredients: 

• 800g of pork ribs:
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms 
• 2 to 3 slices of ginger
• One teaspoon of salt 
• 800ml chicken broth 

Steps:

1. Wash the winter melon and Remove the rind and seeds. Then cut the meat into chunks. We suggest cutting the winter melon into 2-inch chunks.

2. Boil a pot of water to blanch the pork ribs. Some may say this is a waste of time, but if you want your soup to be clear with no floating scums, you don’t want to skip this step.

3. Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl. Cover with cold water, and set aside for 20 minutes to reconstitute the mushrooms.

4. Place the winter melon, pork ribs, and shiitake mushroom into 800 ml chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, until the winter melon and pork are tender. 

5. Adjust the amount of salt to suit your taste and enjoy!

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