Winter Melon Soup

Method

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1. Put the ribs in cold water, bring to the boil and blanch 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the ribs and wash out the pot.

   Mark done

2. Return the ribs to the clean pot with the 2 litres of water, the dried shrimp, scallops, shiitake, ginger and tangerine peel.

   Mark done

3. Bring to a simmer, skim once, then cook gently, half covered, 40 minutes.

   Mark done

4. Add the winter melon and the goji berries and simmer 20 minutes more, until the melon is translucent and yields to a spoon.

   Mark done

5. Season with the salt and white pepper.

   Mark done

6. Ladle into bowls with a piece of rib and some melon in each, and scatter with spring onion and coriander.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Blanch the ribs and wash the pot. Clarity is the point.
• Melon in for the last twenty minutes only.
• Season at the end — the dried seafood brings its own salt.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed rice
• A stir-fried green
• Steamed fish

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. Freezes 2 months, though the melon softens.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.