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Hong shao donggua
Braised winter melon
红烧冬瓜 (hong shao donggua): winter melon braised in soy sauce until glossy and tender
Across China, red-braised winter melon is a cheap summer supper dish, cooked when melons the size of a child are sold by the slice at every market from Shanghai to Chengdu. Thick pieces of pale melon are seared, then braised in soy sauce, a touch of sugar and ginger until they turn amber, glossy and almost jelly-soft, soaking up the sauce like a sponge. Eat it with steamed rice and a green vegetable. The usual mistake is cutting the melon too thin, so it dissolves before it colours; keep the pieces about 2 cm thick. Chef's tip: score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern so the sauce soaks in and the pieces look like braised pork belly.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb winter melonpeeled, seeds removed, cut into 4 cm × 2 cm pieces
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 slices fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 spring onion (optional)sliced
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Score the flesh side of each piece of 1 ½ lb winter melon in a 5 mm criss-cross, about 1 cm deep.
4 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or wide pan over a medium-high heat. Lay the melon in, scored side down, and fry for 3 minutes until lightly golden.
3 minStep 3: Add 3 slices fresh ginger and 2 cloves garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
1 minStep 4: Add 1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar and ¾ cup water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer over a medium-low heat for 8 minutes, turning the pieces once.
8 minStep 5: Uncover and boil for 3–4 minutes, spooning the sauce over, until the melon is translucent, a chopstick goes through with no resistance and the sauce is reduced to a glossy coat.
4 minStep 6: Scatter with 1 spring onion and serve hot with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does hong shao donggua take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 8 minutes to prepare and 17 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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