Winter Melon Soup

Winter melon is a common vegetable in Thai cuisine. We use them a lot in curry or as a side vegetable with chilli paste. This vegetable has texture like cucumber but more firm, however once cooked its texture will be quite soft. It also has a cooling property which is a real benefit if you are making hot curry or clear soup. Today’s recipe is a simple one using winter melon together with ivy gourd and meatballs. 

Ingredients

• 1 whole winter melon (small to medium)

• 10 meatballs

• 1 whole carrot

• 2 tbsp stock powder

• 1 ½ tsp salt

• 2 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 bulb garlic

• 800 ml water

• A handful ivy gourd leaves (optional)

• How to make
  
  First, peel and cut a winter melon into large chunks. Thinly slice some carrots. Cut garlic cloves in half and crush some pepper.

• In a soup pot, add water, garlic, pepper, salt, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Add the winter melon, carrots, and some stock powder. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.

• Once the winter melon and carrots are soft, add some meatballs and ivy gourd leaves. Turn off the heat and let the soup sit for a bit to let the flavors meld together.

• Serve the soup hot or warm with steamed rice for a delicious and satisfying meal. This soup is perfect for a chilly winter day, it will warm you up and fill you up. Enjoy!