Winter Melon Cup
This classic Zhejiang dish boasts a rich, savory broth and tender, silky winter melon.
Ingredients
fresh small winter melon (washed, cut open and deseeded to form the cup)
1
rehydrated shiitake mushrooms (diced small)
as needed
winter bamboo shoot meat (diced small)
50 g
chicken thigh meat (washed, diced, and blanched with salt and starch)
50 g
fresh shrimp (deveined, blanched with salt and starch)
80 g
Xuanwei ham
2 small slices
salt
a pinch
Shaoxing wine
a pinch
white pepper
a pinch
chicken bouillon powder
1 tsp
cornstarch
to taste
oil
5 tbsp
water
1/2 cup
Instructions
1
Step 1
Wash the chicken thigh meat and dice it; devein the shrimp and wash them; dice the shiitake mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots into small cubes.
2
Step 2
Combine the diced chicken and shrimp with a pinch of salt and cornstarch, then blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove, drain well, and set aside.
3
Step 3
Wash the winter melon. Beginning from the stem end, cut the winter melon into two pieces of different sizes — the smaller piece with the stem attached will serve as the lid, while the larger piece forms the body of the winter melon cup. Scoop out the inner flesh and seeds with a spoon, wash it clean, and the winter melon cup is ready.
4
Step 4
Heat 5 tbsp of oil in a wok. Once hot, add the blanched chicken and shrimp and briefly stir-fry, then add the diced shiitake mushrooms and winter bamboo shoots. Stir-fry until evenly combined, splash in a little Shaoxing wine, pour in 1/2 cup of water along with 1 tsp of chicken bouillon powder. Once the mixture comes to a boil, transfer it into the winter melon cup and lay the ham slices on top.
5
Step 5
Place the filled winter melon cup into a pressure cooker and steam. Once the cooker reaches pressure, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately. When eating, scrape the soft winter melon flesh from the inside with a spoon and enjoy it together with the filling — the tough outer skin is not eaten.
