Winter Melon Pond


Serves: 5
Total Calories: 996

Ingredients

1/2 pound winter melon or honeydew melon
Winter Melon Pond Soup Ingredients: Chicken I

Directions:

1. This dish requires a whole winter melon. Clean it first by scrubbing its skin thoroughly with a brush. Then set the melon upright and cut a slice off the top, anywhere from 3 inches down to 1/4 of the whole melon. This will serve as a lid. (For a more attractive effect, notch the lid as you cut it.)

2. Scoop out the seeds and spongy pulp, scraping the inside surface clean. Stand the melon upright in a large heatproof bowl.

3. Prepare any combination of soup ingredients (see Winter Melon Pond Soup Ingredients:). Place in the melon, as directed, adding enough stock so that the melon is about 3/4 full. Cover melon with its lid.

4. Place the bowl on a rack and steam the winter melon or steam by the bowl-in-a-pot method (with enough boiling water added to the pot to cover about 7/8 of bowl). See HOW-TO, _Steaming. In either case, the pot should be large enough so the bowl can be lifted out easily when the melon is done. If necessary, use a large roasting pan, placed over two burners on the stove.

5. Steam the melon until translucent and tender, but still firm enough to hold its shape. (Allow 3 to 4 hours for a 4- to 5-pound melon about 5 hours for a 6- to 10-pound melon.) During the last half hour, add more stock if necessary to keep the melon 3/4 full.

6. When the melon is done, bring it to the table right in its steaming bowl. (Should you wish to serve it in another bowl, tie the melon at the end of step 2 with heavy string in a sling-like or basket-like arrangement with a handle-make it strong and secure so it can support the whole melon and its contents. Then, after steaming, lift out and transfer the melon.)

7· To serve: Cut a horizontal slice of melon near the top. Place in an individual soup bowl and ladle some soup over. Or scoop out some melon meat and mix with the soup. Serve in individual bowls, garnished with shredded smoked ham.

NOTE: This dish is also called Eight Precious Melon Bowl.

VARIATIONS:
* In step 1, lay the melon on its side. Cut a hole about 6 inches in diameter on its top surface. Reserve this as the lid. Clean the melon as in step 2, and stand it not upright, but on its side. Pick up step 3, etc.
* Steam the melon by itself until done. Prepare the soup separately, either simmering it for about 40 minutes until done, or dicing the ingredients so fine that they need only be brought to a boil. Pour the cooked soup into the steamed melon and serve.

The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 5
Total Calories: 996
Calories from Fat: 140

This Winter Melon Pond recipe is from the Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook Cookbook. Download this Cookbook today.




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