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Cantonese · Chinese

Winter melon soup with pork ribs

Non-vegetarian

冬瓜排骨汤 · Dōngguā páigǔ tāng

A clear, gentle Cantonese-style home soup of pork ribs and translucent winter melon simmered with ginger — light, soothing and served alongside rice.

Winter melon soup with pork ribs is a Cantonese soup from China, ready in about 1 hour 40 minutes and made with pork spare ribs and ash gourd (winter melon). It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
1 h 25 min
Total
1 h 40 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
233

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Blanch the ribs in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and rinse off the scum. This keeps the broth clear.

    Food safety: Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw pork.

  2. Step 2

    Return the ribs to the cleaned pot with the water, ginger, mushrooms and wine. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently, partly covered, for 1 hour.

    • 60 min
    • low heat

  3. Step 3

    Add the winter melon (opens in a new tab) and simmer until translucent and tender, about 20 minutes.

    • 20 min
    • low heat

  4. Step 4

    Season with salt and white pepper (opens in a new tab) and serve sprinkled with spring onion (opens in a new tab).

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Southern China, China · Commonly attributedAlso popular in Hong Kong, Malaysia, SingaporeMore food from China
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Soups
Cooking method
Blanched, Simmered
Taste
mild, savoury, sweet
Diet
Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein · Low-fat
Without the optional extras: No gluten ingredients, Alcohol-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Everyday
Cook more with
Pork spare ribs · Ash gourd (winter melon) · Fresh ginger · White pepper · Spring onion
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Blanching

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom shaoxing wine
  • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom shaoxing wine

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

233 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 736 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 21%
  • Carbohydrate 10%
  • Fat 69%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy233 kcal32 kcal
Protein12.4 g1.7 g
Carbohydrate5.8 g0.8 g
Net carbohydrate1.2 g0.2 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre4.6 g0.6 g
Fat17.9 g2.4 g
Saturated fat5.7 g0.8 g
Trans fat0.2 g0 g
Cholesterol60 mg8 mg
Sodium967 mg131 mg
Salt equivalent2.4 g0.3 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
222 mg
Calcium
94 mg
Iron
1.4 mg
Magnesium
40 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
2 µg
Vitamin C
20 mg
Vitamin D
1.7 µg
Vitamin B12
0.3 µg
Folate (DFE)
10 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: shiitake mushrooms, shaoxing wine.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Add a few dried scallops or goji berries with the ribs for a more traditional Cantonese flavour.

Common mistakes

  • Adding the winter melon at the start — it dissolves; it needs only the last 20 minutes.

Serve with

  • Serve as the soup course of a home meal with rice and stir-fried vegetables.

Food safety

  • Simmer the ribs until the meat is tender and pulls from the bone; refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days chilled.

Reheating

  • Reheat until piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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