Steamed Winter Melon with Chicken
A Zhejiang dish featuring tender, silky winter melon with a fresh, savory flavor.
Ingredients
Winter melon (peeled, seeds and pulp removed, washed and cut into small diamond-shaped pieces, parboiled until about 80% done)
500 g
Tender chicken (washed, chopped into small pieces, blanched)
350 g
Shaoxing wine
1 tsp
Salt
to taste
MSG
to taste
Cilantro (chopped)
to taste
Scallion segments
to taste
Ginger pieces
to taste
Instructions
1
Prepare the winter melon
Peel the winter melon, remove the pulp and seeds, wash it, and cut it into small diamond-shaped pieces. Place the pieces in a pot of boiling water and cook until about 80% done, then remove and set aside.
2
Prepare the chicken
Wash the chicken and chop it into small pieces. Blanch the chicken briefly in a pot of boiling water, then remove, rinse, and set aside, keeping the broth for later use.
3
Steam the chicken
Pour the reserved chicken broth into a wok. Add a pinch of salt and the Shaoxing wine, bring to a boil, and skim off the foam. Add the chicken pieces along with the scallion segments and ginger pieces. Transfer everything, broth included, into a soup bowl, place in a steamer, and steam until the chicken is tender and falling apart. Discard the scallion segments and ginger pieces, and set the chicken aside.
4
Finish the dish
Pour the steaming broth from the soup bowl into a wok and set over high heat. Add salt, MSG, and the pre-cooked winter melon pieces, bring to a boil, and skim off the foam. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. Add the steamed chicken pieces to the wok and cook together for a moment. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve.
