Pork & Winter Melon Soup
Traditionally served in a beautifully carved, hollowed out Winter Melon, this is a standard soup you will find on every Chinese Restaurant menu.This recipe adds some other familiar Chinese soup ingredients, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms and I like to add tofu as well.
Yield: 4 Servings.
Materials
- 1/2 lb. pork belly, fat trimmed, thinly sliced
- 3 stalks green onion, minced
- 1 TB sesame seed oil
- 1/4 c. bamboo shoots, julienne
- 4 large dried shrimp, minced
- 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 6-8 c. chicken broth
- 1 1/2 c. winter melon, peeled, diced
- 2 TB lime juice
- 2 TB Aloha shoyu
- 2 TB hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp. Thai chili garlic paste
- 2 TB cornstarch mixed with 1/4 c. chicken broth
Garnish:
- 10 oz. diced fried tofu,
- 2 chopped green onion
- sesame seed oil
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown pork and onions in oil.
- Add bamboo shoots, shrimp, mushrooms and broth.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; simmer 30 minutes.
- Add melon; bring to a boil.
- Stir in lime juice, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger and garlic paste; simmer 10 minutes.
- Slowly stir in cornstarch mixture, until slightly thickened.
How To Serve:
- For service: Garnish as desired with tofu and green onions,
- Drizzle with sesame seed oil.
- Serves 4-6.