Winter Melon, An Excellent Detoxifier

They were originally cultivated in Southeast Asia and then slowly spread throughout Asia making it into a wide variety of dishes and even pastries including Wife Cakes in China and Hopiang Baboy in the Philippines. Not stopping there, winter melons were later introduced to the Middle East by traders and made their first appearance in Europe during the Renaissance.

Those who are watching their weight think of the winter melon as a godsend for its low calorie content and how it increases metabolism. It is also beneficial for those with bleeding gums or who are more susceptible to mouth cancer. By eating winter melon on a regular basis, the probability of contracting a number of disorders is sharply decreased. You can’t go wrong by eating more of a vegetable containing a wide variety of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamin K, thiamin, magnesium, zinc, and is low in saturated fat.

Winter melon is a yin vegetable meaning that it helps cool down the body especially in the summer months. In Taiwan, many people enjoy drinking winter melon tea. Around Asia, winter melons are primarily used as an ingredient in one of the many soups drank for their healthy affects. Presentation differs depending on what effect a restaurant is going for. If you want the soup to be the centerpiece of the meal you can hollow out a melon, pour the soup in the melon itself, and then combine it with meat and fish stock. Of course you don’t need to spend a large amount of time preparing winter melon soup—sometimes easier is better!

Winter melon Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup winter melon

Water to boil winter melon

2 cups chicken broth

4 Chinese dried black mushrooms

2 - 3 slices ginger

Half cup cooked ham, salt, and pepper to taste

1 green onion, green part only, washed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces

Preparation: