Ingredients
1 winter melon (about 4-5 lbs / 2-2.5 kg), 250 g (about 1/2 lb) pork, 150 g (about 3/4 cup) pearl barley, 100 g (about 3/4 cup) ginkgo nuts, 25 g (about 2 tablespoons) diced cooked ham, 15 g dried shiitake mushrooms, chicken broth as needed.
Seasonings
15 g cooking wine, 15 g salt, 10 g MSG, 6 g wet starch, and pepper to taste.
Instructions
1. First, peel the winter melon, scoop out the seeds and pulp, rinse both inside and out with clean water, blanch it in boiling water, then place it in a large bowl; wash the pork and cut it into small cubes, then coat evenly with starch slurry.
2. Soak the barley in cold water until softened, then rinse clean. Blanch the diced pork, cooked ham, shiitake mushrooms, and ginkgo nuts in boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain well and place them into the winter melon.
3. Add white pepper, cooking wine, salt, and MSG (or chicken bouillon) to taste, then fill the melon with chicken broth and steam over medium heat in a steamer basket for about one hour—do not overcook until mushy; it's done when the meat and diced ingredients inside are fully cooked, then remove from the steamer.
4. Place the winter melon in a soup bowl, invert it to form a hat shape, then add clear chicken broth and serve. This dish is beautifully presented with vibrant colors.