Winter Melon (also named as Dong Gua in Chinese) is known in China for its fantastic health benefits.
From reducing swelling, bloating, diuresis, and heatstroke- it is great for hydrating and digestion.
In China, whether it is the South or the North, it is a popular dish in summer.
Winter Melon soup has a high vitamin content, being fresh but not greasy, light and refreshing, this is a healthy soup without a drop of extra oil.
The fruit is also good for skin, such as acne, pustules, and eczema.
In the summer, I often drink a bowl of Winter Melon meatball soup, which is to supplement nutrition, hydrating and nourishing my body.
When doing this soup, be patient.
Here are a few tips:
1. When adjusting the filling, don’t be too anxious. Spend a few more minutes mixing the meat with a rolling pin to make the meat more tender.
2. Don’t forget to Sift the green Onion and ginger from the water before pouring the water into the meat, so you don’t eat the ginger when you eat the meatballs.
3. When I make this, I peel half of the melon and leave the skin on the other half to give it more textures; it does not affect the outcome of the recipe, so you can do what you prefer.
Ingredients:
- 1) 500g of Winter Melon
- 2) 300g ground pork meat
- 3) 1 egg
- 4) Small piece of ginger
- 5) A small amount of parsley
- 6) Two green onions(Some for step 1, the other for step13)
- 7) 1 tablespoon starch
- 8) 1 tablespoon cooking wine
- 9) 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 10) 1 tsp white ground pepper and salt
- 11) 50g Cellophane noodles
How To Make Winter Melon Soup:
Step 1: Cut the green onion(I always use the white part one), and ginger, put in a bowl, then add cold water. Soak for at least half an hour.
Step 2: Cellophane noodles are put in water and soaked until soft.
Step 3: Prepare all the ingredients so that you can easily start to prepare this soup.
Step 4: Winter Melon gets cut in half. Peel one half, and then slice both halves like shown below.
Step 5: Mix the meat with a rolling pin or another blunt object to tenderize the pork.
Step 6: Add 1 egg, 1 tbsp starch, 1 tbsp cooking wine, 1 tsp light soy sauce, white ground pepper and salt to the meat. Stir well.
Step 7: Sift the green Onion and ginger from the water(in step 1), slowly pour the water into the meat, stir with chopsticks until fully incorporated.
Step 8: Fill a pot about 3/4’s full of water and turn on low heat after boiling. Take a tablespoon and scoop a meatball and place in the water.
Step 9. After the meatballs are placed in the pot, turn the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes.
Step 10. After the meatballs all float, place the Winter Melon slices in and cook for a few minutes.
Step 11. Add the soft cellophane noodles and cook with Winter Melon.
Step 12. When the Winter Melon becomes translucent, add the salt. If you have chicken bouillon at home, you can add a little bit of that for extra flavor.
Step 13. After the heat is turned off, sprinkle some white ground pepper, parsley(cut into small pieces), and add the green onion to the soup. It is now ready to enjoy!
Tips:
Winter Melon is good, but not for everyone. If you eat Winter Melon in the following situations, the nutrients may be counterproductive:
1. People with kidney dysfunction such as nephritis and renal failure cannot eat: such patients will increase the burden on the kidneys. Winter Melon can increase the body’s urea nitrogen content, reduce the glomerular filtration rate, leading to kidney failure, and Winter Melon has a good diuretic effect, resulting in increased urine.
2. Spleen and stomach cold: This is because Winter Melon will increase the symptoms of stomach cold, causing discomfort such as diarrhea and bloating.
3. People who are seriously ill: Winter Melon has a good effect of promoting fluid circulation and diuresis. For those who have just finished surgery, Winter Melon will increase the burden on the body and affect a stable recovery.
4. Women during menstruation and cold dysmenorrhea should not eat Winter Melon because of increased circulation.
5. Winter Melon and red beans can cause dehydration, as they both have similar effects on the body, so they should be consumed carefully.
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A refreshing and nutrient-packed food: this Winter Melon and Meatball Soup is a great dish to try. Very easy to make, and few ingredients make this dish a simple meal during the summer.