Winter Melon Chicken Mushroom Soup

When cooked in soups, winter melon is typically added in bigger chunks or smaller cubes. I have even "pulverized" it before but not to this extent that you cannot even see them.


Winter melon is mildly sweet and when the "puree" is added to the chicken soup at the last leg of cooking, it balances the chicken soup to perfection; more importantly, retain as much nutrients (e.g. Vitamin C) as possible. The winter melon "puree" also acts as a natural thickener to the soup - slightly thick, not as thick like a "cream-based" soup.

I came across this "puree" technique from a cooking segment on TV. The reason for this method is to minimize cooking time under boiling conditions which may otherwise destroy the Vitamin C- rich winter melon. Pureed soups is not new but it is not so commonly seen in Chinese soups.

Winter Melon Chicken Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
Winter melon, remove skin, cut to bite-sizes to fit into food processor, puree to about 2 cups
2 chicken drumsticks, boiled and to be shredded
6-8 fresh shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
Pinch of salt and ground white pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
Green onions to garnish

Directions: Boil the chicken drumsticks in a pot of boiling water to cook up the chicken stock. Remove the chicken drumsticks and set aside. When cool, shred the chicken. Add in mushrooms to chicken stock. Add in pureed winter melon. Salt and pepper to taste.