Winter Melon Soup (Tong Kua Tong) is a soothing and nutritious soup with cooling properties. Perfect on a warm day but just as comforting on a cool day.
When the weather turns cold, it is time to bring on the soups. Any kind of soup, be it clear or creamy is comforting. I prepare a lot of soups during the colder months because it is great to have something to warm the tummy and nothing does it better than soup. That said, it is also equally wonderful to make clear soups in warm weather to cool us down and this Winter Melon Soup (Tung Kua Tong) is such a soup to do that.
Winter Melon
As the name suggests, winter melons are more readily available here in the US during the colder months. Since the melons are quite large, they are usually cut and sold in pieces. Finding a small whole winter melon is not easy but I got lucky one time and was able to prepare this special Steamed Stuffed Winter Melon Soup for Chinese New Year. On most other days, I will make this easy Winter Melon Soup (Tung Kua Tong).
Roasted Chicken Soup
If you do occasionally buy rotisserie chicken for dinner, do not discard the carcass when you chop up the chicken. Clean and save the carcass in a plastic baggy for use in soups. They make a really tasty soup and are easier to boil in that they produce less fat (scum) and therefore less skimming required. It has worked out well for me and I have been doing it for years now. Soups boiled using roasted chicken bones will have a deeper, richer color and is super tasty.
If you prefer a clearer soup, please use fresh chicken carcass or even bone-in chicken breast. The soup will probably have less fat with the latter.
Similar Tools Used in Making This Winter Melon Soup
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• Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Stockpot with Cover, 6-Quart
• Cuisipro Stainless Steel Measuring Cup and Spoon Set
Winter Melon Soup (Tong Kua Tong) is a soothing and nutritious soup with cooling properties. Perfect on a warm day but just as comforting on a cool day.
- 8 cups water (1.9 liters)
- 1 roasted chicken carcass (trimmed and rinsed)
- 12 dried red dates (rinse and soak for 15 minutes)
- 1 lb winter melon (rind removed and cubed) (450g)
- 2 tbsp goji berries
- Salt to taste
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Bring water in a large pot to a boil.
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Add chicken carcass, red dates, and winter melon to the pot. Cover and bring water back to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 1½ to 2 hours. Skim off any scum appearing on the surface.
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Season with salt and add goji berries. Continue to boil for another 5 minutes. Turn off stove.
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Serve warm in individual bowls.
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