SOUPS: This is definitely "banquet style" Chinese cooking, and a big challenge to try it at home. But with the right equipment and a little trial & error, it can be reproduced at home.

WINTER MELON SOUP 冬瓜盅:

 

 

1 small whole winter melon                            

filling:

    ½ lb. each chicken meat & lean pork, diced

    ½ lb. cooked duck meat, diced                   

    3-4 oz. dried scallop                                                           

    5-6 dried mushrooms

    ½ lb. small shrimp                                                  

    ½ cup canned lotus seeds, drained

    ½ cup diced cooked ham                                        

    salt and white pepper

    1 tsp. tapioca starch                                                

hot chicken stock as needed

 

 

 

Soak mushrooms in hot water to soften; then dice the caps. Soak dried scallop in hot water to soften and split into strips.

 

Sit bottom of winter melon in a heat proof container big enough to fit it snugly. Use a sharp knife to make zigzag pattern in a straight line, cutting through the thickness of the skin and flesh, around and close to the top of the melon. When the zigzag pattern is made completely around the melon, carefully remove the top piece. Scoop out and discard the seeds, membranes and fibrous tissues in the center of the melon. Put melon in a large pot of boiling water and blanch it for a few minutes. Rinse it well and let it cool before sitting it back in the container.

 

Prepare shrimp and add it into a large bowl containing chicken & pork. Add salt, white pepper & tapioca starch to taste to season the mixture. Marinate for 20-30 minutes; then blanch in boiling water for 1-2 minute. Drain.

 

Add dried scallop, mushrooms, lotus seeds and white pepper to taste into the melon cavity. Pour in enough hot stock to fill cavity about ¾ full. Cover container tightly with a well-fitting lid.

 

Place container with melon into a very deep stock pot with boiling water coming up to ½ to ¾ of the way up the sides of the container. Cover pot and steam over medium heat until melon flesh is tender. Check for doneness from time to time, adding a little more stock into melon and more boiling water to pot when necessary.

 

When melon flesh is tender, add in shrimp, chicken, duck meat, pork and ham as well as salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 15 minutes more.

 

Serve melon soup at table, scooping melon flesh into the soup to serve.