#soup #sweetsoup #chinesefood #cooling
Make sure to stay through our video to see how you can consume almost the “whole melon/ container/ bowl”, ha! Enjoy this Double-boiled whole Winter Winter Melon Sweet Soup with ‘Huamei’/ Salted Dried Chinese Plum.
Winter melon 冬瓜 or ash gourd is not a melon grown or available only in winter as the name indicates, they actually available all year long. Due to its strong, waxy outside, they can be kept for months without refrigeration. In Chinese medicine, winter melon is neutral and slightly cool in nature. It is believe to be able to help detoxify, clears out mucus and phlegm while promotes digestion because winter melon consists of 96% water and us full of fibre. Chinese cuisine uses this mild flavour melon which is reminiscent of cucumber in soup, stew, congee, stir fry and also winter melon tea especially during the hottest days as a common home remedy to combat heat waves and prevent sun stroke. We love the idea of winter melon tea, so in our research for winter melon tea, we tumble upon double-boiled WHOLE winter melon soup, 冬瓜盅 which catches our attention but most of the WHOLE winter melon soup recipe 冬瓜盅 are savoury soup dish but due to so much on going feasting last 2 weeks, we were so reluctant to have anymore meat or seafood soupy dish, thus this sweet Soup. This Double-boiled whole Winter Melon Sweet Soup with Huamei/ Salty Dried Chinese Plum is slightly sweet and sourish at the same time which we hope will help to reduce ‘heatiness’ as well. Beside winter melon, one of the main ingredient is salted dried Chinese plum or known as ‘Huamei’ 话梅 in Mainland China. It is also known as ‘Li Hing Mui’ 旅行梅 in Guandong Province where it is originally from. ‘Huamei’ has a strong distinctive flavour and combination of acquired taste of sweetness, sour and salty flavour which makes it popular in asian drinks and pickled.
To sweeten this Double-boiled whole Winter Melon Sweet Soup, rock sugar were added. Rock sugar is refined, crystalized sugar used in Chinese kitchen to add shine to braised dishes or to sweeten desserts where in TCM, it is also believed to have medicinal properties, particularly in easing sore throat and dry cough caused by the common cold. So, with these 3 main ingredients, we hope to reduce “heat in body” and cool ourself in this extreme warm weather! Last but not least, don’t forget to like and subscribe to our channel!

MAIN INGREDIENTS
winter melon _ 1kg or preferably lesser
rock sugar _ 50g or to taste
huamei (话梅）/ salty dried Chinese plum _ 6-8 g, to taste

water for sweet soup _ 90% of winter melon container
water for double boiling

TIMECODES
0:00 - Intro
0:01 - Double-boiled whole Winter Melon Sweet Soup with ‘Huamei’ / Salty Dried Chinese Plum
1:23 - Remove seeds & pulp within winter melon
1:48 - Creating serrated edges
2:59 - Adding rock sugar & “huamei” into winter melon
3:08 - Adding water to winter melon container
5:33 - Double-boiled whole Winter Melon Sweet Soup done!
6:14 - Scooping soft winter melon flesh to enjoy with Double-boiled Winter Melon Sweet Soup