Stuffed Winter Melon

Name: Stuffed Winter Melon
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2000 g Baby winter melon (scrape off skin, remove stem, wash, carve decorative pattern, cut opening and remove pulp); 50 g Pork fat (diced); 25 g Cooked ham (diced); 25 g Cooked chicken (diced); 5 g Shrimp roe; 25 g Cooked chicken gizzard; 25 g Cooked chicken liver; 30 g Cooked winter bamboo shoots (diced); 15 g Salt; 25 g Starch (mixed with water for slurry); 5 g MSG; 15 g Cooked chicken fat; 300 g Chicken broth; 1250 g Cooked pork lard (actual consumption 125 g)

A traditional dish from Jiangsu, in which a hollowed winter melon serves as the vessel for a filling of ham, diced chicken, shrimp roe, and other cooked ingredients. The melon is steamed until the flesh becomes tender and the broth inside is rich and savory.

2h 5m

Easy

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Ingredients

Baby winter melon (scrape off skin, remove stem, wash, carve decorative pattern, cut opening and remove pulp) 2000 g

Pork fat (diced) 50 g

Cooked ham (diced) 25 g

Cooked chicken (diced) 25 g

Shrimp roe 5 g

Cooked chicken gizzard 25 g

Cooked chicken liver 25 g

Cooked winter bamboo shoots (diced) 30 g

Salt 15 g

Starch (mixed with water for slurry) 25 g

MSG 5 g

Cooked chicken fat 15 g

Chicken broth 300 g

Cooked pork lard (actual consumption 125 g) 1250 g

Instructions

Prepare the winter melon

Scrape off the skin of the winter melon, remove the stem, and wash. Carve a decorative pattern on one side, then cut a 4 cm square opening on the upper middle of the other side; the cut-off melon piece serves as the lid. Scoop out all the pulp. Place the melon and the lid together in a pot of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Remove and drain.

Braise the winter melon

Place a wok on the heat, add cooked pork lard and heat to about 30% hot (around 66°C). Add the winter melon and braise for 1 hour. Remove and pour off the oil.

Stir-fry the filling

Return the wok to the heat, add oil, and stir-fry the diced pork fat, diced ham, and other ingredients together. Add the shrimp roe and salt. Pour in the chicken broth and cook for 3 minutes. Thicken with water-starch slurry. Remove from heat and pour the filling into the winter melon through the opening.

Steam

Cover with the winter melon lid, place upright in a bowl, add chicken broth, shrimp roe, and salt. Steam in a steamer until thoroughly cooked. Remove.

Pour sauce

Strain the liquid from the bowl into a pot, add MSG, and bring to a boil. Thicken with water-starch slurry, pour over the winter melon, drizzle with cooked chicken fat, and serve.