Wintermelon Chicken Soup
This winter melon chicken soup is light, delicious, and extremely easy to make. It is healthy and comforting, and requires a few basic ingredients. Winter melon has less flavor on its own, so dried squid and red dates are added to the soup to enhance the flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1.134 kg Wintermelon (-/+)
- 7 Dried Red Dates
- 7 Chicken Drumsticks
- 1 Dried Cuttlefish (small-medium size)
- Salt (to taste)
- 8 Cups Water (for the soup -/+ adjustable)
- Water (enough to blanch the chicken)
Instructions:
- Blanching the chicken drumsticks- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add in drumsticks. Quick blanch to remove impurities. This should take roughly a minute or so. **This step or process ensures you with a clean and clear soup at the end. However, if you dislike this step, just ignore it completely.
- Remove the blanched chicken drumsticks to a colander and rinse under tap water. Set it aside.
- In a large stockpot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Water measurements are adjustable. Use your own judgment here.
- While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the winter melon.
- Peel off the wintermelon skin and remove the seeds.
- Cut wintermelon into big chunks as shown. Give this a quick rinse and set aside.
- When the water is ready in the stockpot, add in chicken drumsticks and let them cook at medium heat for about 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, add in cleaned/cut dried cuttlefish & the dried red dates.
- Let the soup cook for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, add in winter melon chunks into the stockpot.
- Continue to cook the soup at medium low heat until the winter melon turns slightly translucent.
- Add salt to taste before turning off the heat and serve.
*** © MB CREATIVE KITCHEN, 2022. No part of this site,, MBCREATIVEKITCHEN.COM may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner.
Tips & Notes:
- Instead of the drumsticks, you can substitute 2 chicken breasts or 1/2 chicken.
- You can use 200 grams of pork ribs as well if you prefer.
- These are the two protein options for this soup recipe that we have tried so far. However, if you decide to use another source of protein, you have to experiment with it yourself to find the right taste.
- Winter melon available at most Asian grocery stores. Same with dried red dates and dried cuttlefish.
- The water measurements for the soup can be adjusted -/+.
- We normally quickly blanch our chicken or pork when it comes to making soup. This step, or process, ensures you have a clean and clear soup at the end. However, if you dislike this step/process, just ignore it completely.
