Meat and Wintermelon Soup

Soups and Congees

Meat and Wintermelon Soup
Ingredients:
1 or 2 dried scallops
5 Chinese black mushrooms
1/4 cup smoked ham
1/2 cup chicken
2 chicken livers
2 chicken stomachs, thick parts removed and discarded
1 thousand year egg, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup shrimp, shells and vein discarded
1/2 cup canned or cooked bamboos shoots
3 slices fresh ginger, peeled
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
5 pound winter melon, top removed, and seeded
2 Tablespoons Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon salt
Preparation: 1. Steam scallops for twenty minutes or until soft, then cool and tear into thin shreds.
2. Soak mushrooms for twenty minutes, discard the stems, and slice thin.
3. Slice thinly the ham, chicken, chicken livers and stomachs, then blanch each separately for one minute.
4. Cut bamboo shoots and ginger into thin slices or strips.
5. Steam winter melon in its serving bowl for twenty minutes with its cover on.
6. Put all meats, vegetables, and stock into the winter melon, and add the wine and salt. Cover and steam another thirty minutes, then put the bowl on the table and serve soup, its contents, and some of the winter melon flesh to each diner.

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