Winter melon and prawn rice vermicelli soup
Diced winter melon simmered with ginger, then prawns and rice vermicelli added — a clear, sweet and savoury broth that clears damp-heat without chilling the stomach.
- 30 min
- Serves 2
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: Damp-heat types have oily skin, a bitter taste and dark urine, and Liqiu's lingering 'autumn tiger' heat and humidity bring irritability and breakouts. Winter melon clears heat, drains water and relieves summer-heat, while ginger tempers its coldness. Prawns add lean protein, and the clear broth and soft noodles fill you up without weighing you down.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min- 1Devein the prawns, rub with a little salt and the cornflour, rinse and pat dry. Soak the vermicelli in warm water until soft.
- 2Bring the water and ginger to the boil and cook the winter melon for 8 minutes until translucent.
- 3Add the vermicelli and cook for 2 minutes, then the prawns for 1–2 minutes until pink. Season with salt.
- 4Ladle into bowls and scatter over the coriander.
Cautions
- Prawns are a common allergen; use fish slices instead if seafood disagrees with you. Winter melon is cold, so add extra ginger if you get loose stools.
Chef's tips
- Leaving a little skin on the winter melon makes it more diuretic; add the prawns last and turn off the heat as soon as they turn pink so they stay tender.
The TCM view
Winter melon is sweet, bland and slightly cold, clearing heat, draining water and easing irritability — the gourd southern Chinese cooks reach for most in summer and autumn soups. Prawn is sweet and warm, tonifying the kidneys and boosting qi; ginger warms the middle and tempers the melon's coldness, and coriander's aroma whets the appetite. It clears damp-heat without harming the spleen and stomach.
