Bitter Melon, Soybean,
Pork Bone Soup
A traditional Cantonese cooling soup featuring tender pork bones, nutrient-rich soybeans, and bitter melon that turns sweet and refreshing after a slow simmer.
In traditional culinary philosophy, ingredients that clear internal heat are a staple of home cooking, especially during warmer months or when feeling run down. Bitter melon is celebrated for its cooling properties, and when simmered alongside sweet soybeans and pork bones, its inherent bitterness mellows into a deeply comforting, refreshing broth.
Ingredients
- 500 g pork spareribs
- 1 whole bitter melon
- 100 g soybeans
- 1 piece dried tangerine peel
- 3 slices fresh ginger
- 2 stalks green onions
- 1 tbsp salt for marinating
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- to taste salt
Instructions
- 1Season the spareribs
Place the pork spareribs into a metal bowl, then add salt and cornstarch to begin the cleaning and tenderizing preparation process.
Tip: Adding cornstarch helps lift impurities from the surface of the meat. - 2Wash the spareribs
Pour clean water directly into the bowl containing the seasoned pork spareribs, mixing thoroughly to wash away blood and residual impurities.
Tip: Rinse multiple times until the water runs completely clear. - 3Prep the bitter melon
Cut the bitter melon in half and use a spoon to completely scrape out and remove the inner white pith to reduce bitterness.
Tip: Scraping away all the white pith significantly tones down the bitter flavor of the soup. - 4Marinate the bitter melon
Add plenty of salt to the sliced bitter melon pieces in a metal bowl and mix thoroughly by hand, letting it sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing clean.
Tip: Salting the bitter melon draws out moisture and helps neutralize excess bitterness. - 5Blanch the spareribs
Place the cleaned pork spareribs into a wok with cold water, green onions, and ginger, then bring to a boil to extract remaining impurities.
Tip: Always blanch meat starting from cold water to ensure impurities release evenly into the broth. - 6Skim the foam
Use a slotted spoon to carefully skim off the foam and scum rising to the surface of the boiling water as the pork spareribs blanch.
Tip: Skimming the scum thoroughly keeps the final soup broth clear and clean-tasting. - 7Assemble the soup ingredients
Place the soaked soybeans, dried tangerine peel, ginger slices, and blanched pork spareribs into a clay pot, then pour in enough water to cover the ingredients. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for one hour.
Tip: Make sure to soak the soybeans and dried tangerine peel beforehand so they soften properly and release their flavors into the broth. - 8Add the bitter melon
After simmering the pork and soybeans for one hour, add the prepared sliced bitter melon into the pot. Continue to simmer the soup on low heat for another 20 minutes until the bitter melon is tender and infused with the broth.
Tip: Adding the bitter melon later in the cooking process prevents it from becoming overly mushy while keeping the soup refreshing.
