Warm and comforting soup for autumn and winter— a light and refreshing winter melon pork soup. Unlike the soup in western cuisines, Chinese soups are much lighter.

What’s Winter Melon

Winter melon or known as Ash Gourd, scientifically named Benincasa Hispida, is a melon that resembles a hybrid between a watermelon and a cucumber. It is a cucurbit family member, including melons, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, and pumpkins. This type of melon is easy to transport and store once harvested. Some people know winter melon as ash gourd, a mild-flavored melon often used as a vegetable in Asian cuisines, particularly Chinese and Indian cuisine. It is often used in soups, stir-frying, braised dishes, and even in drinks.

Winter melons, despite their name, grow in warm temperatures. These gourds are native to the warm regions of Southeast Asia. However, they are widely available in other parts of the world too. We grow several winter melon vines almost every year when I was still young. Our winter melons usually were in large size and we might have them on the dining table for several days. Now we also have a smaller type which is much denser in texture.

The benefits of winter melon

In China, we believe it is a super healthy ingredient because of its wide range of benefits. That’s why I love to add it to stews and soups.

Winter melon can help lower inflammation, the main cause of chronic diseases.
It improves the digestive system because the fruit is broken down well in the stomach.
It contains high water and fiber, yet carries low calories, making it the best diet food. Research shows that winter melon carries 96% water, which is great for filling your thirst and helpful for watching your weight.
Winter melon may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels and insulin levels.

What does winter melon taste like

Although the ripe winter melon is somewhat bland, the unripe winter melon has a delicate sweetness. It has a pleasant, slightly grassy flavor that has been likened to that of cucumber, although much fainter. Matured winter melons are quite firm and dense and lost their flavor to some degree. But it still has freshness.

If you tried the watermelon white rind, it tastes quite similar to winter melon. The melon itself is quite plain and has nothing unique to taste. But my mind changes a lot after cooking the winter melon chunks with meat, including meatballs, hams, and ribs, etc. The fat can stimulate the freshness of the winter melon. In contrast, winter melon makes the meat brighter and less greasy.

🥘Ingredients breakdown

Pork bones– you can choose either large pork bones or ribs. Rib winter melon soup is much lighter while the large pork bones can be richer in flavor.

Ginger-sliced, helps to enhance the flavor and remove any possible raw tastes.

Salt to taste

Green onion for garnishing and blanching the ribs.

Shaoxing wine – for blanching the pork ribs

Sichuan peppercorn – if you have Sichuan peppercorn on hand, adding 5-6 whole seeds can enhance the flavor. It will not create any numbing feeling.

Dipping sauce for the ribs — you can make a lovely savory and hot dipping sauce for the ribs.

🍲 Instructions

Place ribs in clean water, and add ginger, green onion, and Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Transfer out and rinse under running warm water.

Cut the rind of winter melon and then cut it into large chunks. I recommend keeping some of the green skin in order to keep the shape after cooking. By the way, this can also enhance the flavor and increase the fiber content.

braised winter melon with minced pork|chinasichuanfood.com

Heat a large pot of water to boiling and then add ginger and Sichuan peppercorn (optional). Add the ribs after the water boils. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.

Place the winter melon chunks and continue cooking for 20 minutes.

How to cook in an instant pot

You can also use an instant pot or rice cooker to make this soup. If you want to use it, add warm or hot water to the pot, and add ginger and Sichuan peppercorn. Press the soup button and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Release the gas and then take the pork soup base out. Add winter melon chunks in and continue heating for 20 minutes without the lid. This is extremely important to enhance and richer the flavor.

What to serve with

This winter melon soup is quite light and refreshing and thus can be a good soup choice for all meals. But I still want to recommend some of the best partners.

All types of pancakes and buns like Scallion pancakes, red bean pancakes, and beef pie.
Savory stir-fries include pork and mushroom stir fry and pork with fermented black bean sauce.
And it is also super great to match with mala dishes like Mala Xiangguo, Mala chicken, etc.

Can I reheat the soup?

Yes, you can reboil the soup next time before serving. But winter melon may go bad and taste sour quickly at room temperature. So if the room temperature is warm, you need to store this soup in fridge.