Dong Gua Zhong (冬瓜盅)

Dong Gua Zhong is a grand Cantonese banquet centrepiece — a whole or half winter melon hollowed out, filled with a rich broth of crab meat, dried scallops, mushrooms, and ham, then steamed for hours until the melon walls soften and release their sweetness into the soup. Bringing the whole melon to the table is a guaranteed talking point.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 small winter melon (dong gua), about 3 kg (6.6 lb), or 1/2 large melon
• 30g (1 oz) dried scallops (conpoy), soaked in warm water 2 hours
• 150g (5.3 oz) cooked crab meat
• 150g (5.3 oz) cooked chicken breast, shredded
• 80g (2.8 oz) Yunnan or Jinhua ham (or prosciutto), diced small
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked, stems removed, sliced
• 100g (3.5 oz) fresh lotus seeds (or canned, drained)
• 1 litre (4 cups) superior chicken stock
• 2 tbsp (30ml) Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tsp salt
• White pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp (15ml) cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water (optional, for thickening)
• Chopped spring onions and a drizzle of sesame oil, to finish

Instructions

1. Slice the top quarter off the winter melon to create a lid. Scoop out the seeds and fibrous centre with a large spoon, leaving about 3cm (1.2 inches) of flesh on the walls. Decorate the outer skin with carved patterns if desired for a banquet presentation.
2. In a bowl, combine the soaked dried scallops and their soaking liquid, crab meat, chicken, ham, shiitake mushrooms, and lotus seeds. Season with Shaoxing wine, salt, and white pepper. Ladle the chicken stock over the filling.
3. Carefully pour or ladle the filling and stock into the hollowed melon. Replace the top as a lid. Place the melon upright in a heatproof bowl or deep steamer basket to keep it stable.
4. Steam over vigorously boiling water for 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours, replenishing the water every 45 minutes. The melon walls should become tender and slightly translucent throughout.
5. Carefully transfer the melon in its bowl to the dining table. Remove the lid. If a thicker soup is preferred, pour a little of the soup into a small saucepan, whisk in the cornstarch slurry, and pour back.
6. Ladle soup and a spoonful of melon flesh into individual bowls. Garnish with spring onions and a drop of sesame oil.

Cook's Notes: Superior stock made from chicken, pork bones, and jinhua ham gives the best result — use the best stock you have. The soaking liquid from dried scallops is intensely flavourful and should always be added to the soup.