Winter Melon Soup with Dried Octopus & Enoki Mushroom (冬瓜汤)

I'm a strong believer that soup is nourishing, especially those that simmer for 2-3 hours, all the ingredients nutrition seems to be blended in the soup.  When i used to work, i don't have much time to prepare soup for my family, now soup is on my daily menu, just like many Chinese family, it is common to have a bowl of soup to go with a meal.

Today, i would like to write about winter melon soup.

This soup is cooling & nourishing, it is effective in helping to reduce 'heatiness' in the body.  As Winter Melon is rich in vitamin C, it is believed helps in fighting cold/flu.  I also heard from elderly before that  Winter Melon soup is ideal in removing phlegm from the lungs.  True or not, this soup is tasty enough to keep me repeating cooking it.

Though winter melon has a very mild taste, when prepared in soup together with ingredients like pork meat, red dates, wolfberries and simmer for 2-3 hours, the soup tasted good with soft, melt in mouth winter melon.

This time, i prepared it with added ingredients like enoki mushroom and dried octopus for a richer flavor.  

Ingredients:

• 2L water
• 1.5 pounds winter melon (skin removed, seedless & cut into cube)
• Pork ribs or pork meat
• Enoki mushroom
• 1 dried octopus (cut into pieces) 
• 1 tbsp wolfberries (枸杞)
• 6 red dates
• Salt to taste (optional)

Step:

1. Thoroughly clean the pork ribs/meat, rinse it with hot boiling water
2. Wash/rinse the dried octopus, wolfberries, red dates, enoki mushroom
3. Bring 2L of water to boil in a pot, add the pork ribs/meat and winter melon
4. Cook on medium heat for 30min 
5. Add all the rest of the ingredients and simmer under medium-low heat for 1.5 - 2 hours
6. Add a dash of salt and stir well
7. Serve warm 

Note:

• As it is a cooling food, avoid consuming if on early pregnancy