Dong Gwa Gong Yiu Jyu Gwat Tong
冬瓜瑤柱豬骨湯·(dong gwa gong yiu jyu gwat tong)
The ABCs of Everyday Soup: The Weeknight Broth
In Cantonese households, a brutally humid summer day demands one thing: a pot of cooling winter melon soup. This isn't some heavy, cream-laden affair; it's a restorative, crystal-clear broth that tastes like pure, unadulterated comfort. The magic lies entirely in the interaction between sweet pork bones and the intense oceanic umami of dried scallops. Whatever you do, do not ruin it with boxed chicken stock. The true grandmother's secret here is twofold: you must aggressively blanch the pork to purge its impurities, and you absolutely leave the tough green skin on the melon to act as a corset while it cooks. It’s an exercise in absolute restraint, delivering a pristine taste of home you can actually pull off on a Tuesday night.
Before you start
Rehydrate the scallops.
Place the dried scallops in a small bowl and cover them with the warm water. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, and do not discard the soaking liquid because it is pure flavor.
Scrub the melon.
Thoroughly scrub the green skin of the winter melon to remove any dirt or wax, but do not peel it, as the skin keeps the melon intact during the simmer.
Ingredients
- pork spare ribs1 lb
- winter melon1 1/2 lb
- dried scallops1/2 oz
- fresh ginger4 med
- Shaoxing wine1 tbsp
- warm water1/2 cup
- cold water8 cup
- sea salt1 1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Blanch the pork bones.
Place the pork ribs in a pot and cover them completely with cold tap water, adding two slices of the smashed ginger and the Shaoxing wine before bringing to a vigorous boil over high heat.
- 02
Purge the impurities.
Let the pot boil vigorously for 3 minutes as a grey foam rises to the surface, then drain the ribs in a colander, rinse them thoroughly under cold running water to rub off any scum, and wash the pot completely clean.
- 03
Build the broth.
Return the clean ribs to the pot with the remaining two slices of ginger, the 8 cups of cold water, and the dried scallops along with all of their soaking liquid.
- 04
Simmer the soup.
Bring the pot to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer gently for 40 minutes.
- 05
Cook the melon.
Carefully drop the winter melon chunks into the pot, cover, and continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the white flesh of the melon turns semi-translucent and tender but the green skin holds it together.
- 06
Season and serve.
Turn off the heat and taste the broth before adding any salt, as the scallops bring natural salinity, then stir in the sea salt to taste and serve hot.
Notes
Skip the chicken stock.
A traditional Cantonese Lo Fo Tong extracts flavor directly from raw ingredients. Store-bought stock will obliterate the delicate sweetness of the winter melon and the nuanced brininess of the scallop.
Choosing the right pork.
If butcher-cut spare ribs are unavailable, look for pork neck bones or a bone-in pork shoulder roast chopped into large chunks, as the marrow is essential for the body of the soup.