Winter Melon Soup with Chicken and Dried Scallops

• 1.30gdried scallops, about 6
• 2.15gdried shrimp
• 3.warm water, 250 ml, for soaking the scallops and shrimp
• 4.1llow-sodium chicken stock
• 5.500mlwater
• 6.4sliceginger
• 7.3chicken thigh, bone-in, about 500 g
• 8.800gwinter melon, peeled, seeded and cut into 3 cm chunks
• 9.40gfox nuts, also sold as euryale seeds
• 10.1tbspgoji berries
• 11.1tbspShaoxing wine
• 12.½tbspreduced-sodium light soy sauce
• 13.½tspsugar, or a small piece of rock sugar

• 🧂Lower-salt version: low-sodium stock, reduced-sodium light soy at half a tablespoon, and no added salt. The dried scallops and shrimp already season the broth, so taste before adding anything.

Method

1. 01Soak the dried scallops and shrimp in the warm water for 30 minutes, and keep the soaking water. Soak the fox nuts in a separate bowl of water for 1 hour.
2. 02Build the broth: bring the stock, the 500 ml of water, the scallops, the shrimp and their soaking water to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
3. 03Add the ginger and the chicken thighs. Poach at a bare simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked through, then lift the chicken out.
4. 04Add the winter melon and the drained fox nuts. Simmer until the melon turns translucent, 15-20 minutes.
5. 05Shred the chicken and return it to the pot.
6. 06Add the goji berries for the last 2-3 minutes, then season with the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and sugar. Taste before adding anything else.