Chicken Wintermelon Soup for Summer!

by LadyTong | Sep 8, 2022 | Summer Soups | 0 comments

Chicken Wintermelon Soup for Summer!

Soup Name:

Traditional Chinese Name:

冬瓜雞湯 (dōng guā jī tāng)

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Here is a variation on the wintermelon soup using chicken as the protein instead of pork. It’s slightly cooling, helping to repair your yin energy and release heat from the body.

I used a new root that I normally don’t put into this soup, which is the Japanese gobo root. It’s has earthy, dark, and rich tones, so only use 3-4 pieces of it. Add in your Chinese herbal base of dried red dates, dried longans, dried scallops, and dried goji berries to lighten it up and you’ve got yourself a beautiful summer soup for the whole family!

What’s involved?

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 30 mins on stove + 4 hours in thermal pot

Total time: 5 hours

Serves: 8-10 bowls

Ingredients

1 whole fresh chicken
1 two-inch thick slice of wintermelon
3-4 pieces of one-inch long fresh gobo root (keep the skin on)
1 large fresh Japanese or Chinese Yam root
1 tablespoon of dried scallops
7-8 dried red dates (pitted)
7-8 dried longans
1 tablespoon of dried goji berries
3 L of water

Cooking Instructions

Boil 1 separate pot of water to blanch your protein
You can also begin to boil your pot of soup water in the thermal pot with the 3L of cold water
Prepare your chicken any way you’d like. I tend to quarter it and reserve the breast for another meal, using only the legs and bones.
In your blanching pot, drop in the chicken bones and meat into the boiling water and blanch for 5-6 minutes, or until the water re-boils.
Slice the wintermelon into large pieces, keeping the skin on.
Using gloves, peel the Chinese (or Japanese) Yam and cut into large 2-inch thick pieces
Cut the gobo root into 2 inch long pieces, keeping the skin on
When your soup water boils, transfer the meat, add in the dried herbal ingredients, and all the roots and wintermelon
Boil on high for 30 minutes
Transfer for a thermal pot for another 4 hours to let it finish cooking
Serve and enjoy!

For more videos, visit us on YouTube.

Chef tips:

Keep the skin on the wintermelon to prevent it from disintegrating into the soup

Use gloves when handling the Chinese or Japanese Yam root as it is slippery and can make your hands itchy

When using a whole chicken, you can save either the breasts or legs for another meal and use only the bones

Use a thermal pot to conserve energy and make the technology work for you!

Rehmannia root or Chinese foxglove root

by LadyTong | Mar 23, 2011 | Uncategorized | 4 comments

Ingredient Name: Rehmannia root, Chinese foxglove root, Sheng di huang, Radix Rehmanniae

Chinese Name: 生地 (Shēng dì)

A very interesting and scary looking Chinese medicine. My herbalist recommended this to me for my “cooling” tea to rid me of my “fiery” condition of sore throat and heaty body. I had to ask him a few times what it is and then spell it for me in the simplest of Chinese terms, but I managed to come to a good understanding of this ingredient. This will make any water, soup, tea, drink BLACK – so beware. It’s not a bad thing, but sometimes black and dark things aren’t the most pleasant things to drink – well, except for black coffee for some people and cola. But in Chinese medicine, black is usually associated with bitter.

What is this?

The root of the Chinese foxglove plant
The root is harvested in the spring or autumn, dried in the sun and sliced into usable portions
This plant is most commonly found in China and the root is a common Chinese medicine ingredient
It is known as a “cooling” ingredient with sweet and bitter properties
The root is almost black in color and will certainly make your soup or tea black
Found in various forms such as dried (as picture above) or powdered

How do I prepare it?

Rinse in warm water before usage

Where can I buy this?

Most herbalists will carry this ingredient
Chinese medicine stores

What is the cost?

Relatively affordable
As pictured above, 2 pieces I purchase cost me $3 HKD

Any benefits?

Helps remove heatiness in the body and cool the blood
Relieves sore throats, dry mouths and helps cool the body to eliminate thick, green mucous caused by heatiness
Can help reduce a low-grade fever
Can help eliminate and reduce cold sores in the mouth and tongue
Nourishes the “yin”

Any precautions?

As it is cooling, it should be avoided by pregnant women in their first trimester (or even throughout a pregnancy) as it stimulates menstruation (it is also known to be used to prevent or terminate pregnancies)
Avoid if you’re lactating (breastfeeding)
Avoid using or consuming this ingredient if you have spleen problems, diarrhea or lack of appetite
Limit exposure and use for children

White Peony Root

by LadyTong | Mar 23, 2011 | Ingredients | 0 comments

White Peony Root

Ingredient Name:

White peony root, Chinese peony, Bai shao yao, Paeonia lactiflora

Traditional Chinese Name:

白芍 (Bái sháo)

This ingredient is neutral in nature and bitter and slightly sour to taste, targeting the liver and spleen.

Looking to start your Chinese soup pantry? Watch this video on “The 7 basic Chinese soup pantry ingredients“.

This root is moderately common in making Chinese soups and herbal teas in Traditional Chinese medicine. It has strong tonifying effects, particularly on the blood and is a neutral ingredient that has slightly sweet tastes.

How do I prepare it?

White peony roots are the roots of the white peony flower. They are typically harvested when the flowers are 3-4 years in maturity and cut, boiled, dried and cut into 3-4 inch lengths as part of the processing. These roots are typically white to beige in colour.

To prepare white peony root for soup or herbal tonic usage, you just have to soak and rinse under cool water to wash it or any preservatives. I tend to soak in cool water for at least 30 minutes and allow anything to seep out and then drop directly into your pot of soup.

Where can I buy it?

In most wet marts in Hong Kong
Available in your Chinese herbalist or Chinese medicine store
I’ve also seen this readily available in bulk packages as Chinese supermarkets

What is the cost?

Relatively affordable and common Chinese medicinal ingredient
As pictured above, 5-6 sticks cost around $5-8 HKD

Any benefits?

As the blood is stored in the liver, this Chinese herb supports Qi and blood tonification
Ideal in treating pain associated with menstruation and cramps
Often treated with hot flashes when mixed with calcium (so ideal for menopause)
Nourishes the “yin” of the body

Any precautions?

Be sure you are buying this ingredient from a reputable source

Looking to start your Chinese soup pantry? Watch this video on “The 7 basic Chinese soup pantry ingredients“.

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Chicken Wintermelon Soup for Summer!

For more videos, visit us on YouTube.

For more videos, visit us on YouTube.

White Peony Root

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Chinese Yam (dried)

Check out our video on “The 7 basic Chinese Soup Pantry Ingredients“, which include the Chinese Yam.

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