Winter Melon Soup (Gaeng Jued Fak)

My Winter Melon Soup (Gaeng Jued Fak) is a cozy favorite that my aunt always loved to make. Customize it with your favorite veggies and protein for a bowl of warmth and joy every time! Moreover, this recipe is paleo and keto friendly.

What is Winter Melon?

Winter melon, also known as ash gourd or wax gourd, is a large, green fruit that belongs to the gourd family. Despite its name, it is not sweet like other melons. Instead, it has a mild, slightly earthy flavor that absorbs the flavors of the ingredients it’s cooked with, making it an ideal addition to soups and stews. Winter melon has a smooth, green skin that may be coated with a white, waxy substance—hence its alternative name, wax gourd. Inside, it has a pale, translucent flesh and seeds that can be scooped out before cooking.

Key Ingredients and Customization

Protein: I use St. Louis-style pork rib strips, which I found at Costco, but they’re also readily available at most Asian grocery stores. You can ask your butcher to cut the ribs into 1.5- to 2-inch pieces, making them the perfect size for soups. However, any style of pork ribs will work. The most common kinds are riblets, spare ribs, country ribs, and baby back ribs. If pork ribs aren’t your preference, chicken drummettes or drumsticks make an excellent alternative, adding their own rich flavor to the broth.

Winter Melon: When selecting winter melon, you might come across two main types: young and mature. Young winter melons are smaller, with a thinner skin and a more delicate flavor. They are tender and cook quickly, making them ideal for lighter soups. Mature winter melons, on the other hand, are larger, with a thicker, waxy rind and firmer flesh. You may even notice little white hairs all over the mature melon. If you use the mature melon for the soup, make sure to cook it at least 10-15 minutes longer. Read more about winter melon and its health benefits on isha.sadhguru.org.

Shiitake Mushrooms: Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 3 minutes, then rinse a few more times. Transfer them to a container and fill it with water. Add a tablespoon of cornstarch and stir to combine. Close the container lid and shake it for a few minutes. The dried shiitake mushrooms will soften quickly, and the cornstarch will help remove any impurities. Rinse with cold water a few more times, and they’re ready for the soup. If using dried and sliced mushrooms, simply soak them in hot water for 10-15 minutes, then rinse.

More Vegetables That Add Umami Flavor to the Soup: Onion, carrots, corn, green onion, and cilantro enhance the soup’s balanced flavor without the need to add sugar or MSG.

How to Make the Winter Melon Soup with Pork Ribs

Step 1: Prepare the pork ribs.

Separate the strings of ribs and cut between the bones. I usually chop them into 1- to 1.5-inch pieces with my Asian meat cleaver to avoid damaging more delicate knives. Here’s a little crazy story: I once used a cleaver to chop a 12-foot live Christmas tree down to 9 feet! I can’t believe that knife still works after all that. However, my old roommate bought me a brand-new cleaver as a wedding gift. The moral of the story? Don’t chop ribs with a regular knife—and definitely don’t chop a tree with a cleaver!

Step 2: Marinate the ribs.

Marinate the ribs with garlic powder, salt, and pepper for at least 15 minutes.

Step 3: Prepare the vegetables.

While the ribs marinate, rehydrate and clean the dried shiitake mushrooms. Wash and peel the winter melon, remove the seeds, and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Chop the carrots, corn, green onion, and cilantro. Additionally, mince or bruise some garlic. Get everything ready for cooking.

Step 4: Start cooking the soup base.

In a pot, add minced garlic, onion, chopped cilantro, and the marinated ribs without waiting for the water to boil. Cook the ribs or chicken drumsticks over medium heat without stirring for 40 minutes. If using chicken drummettes, reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes.

Step 5: Add the vegetables and finish cooking.

Skim off any scum or impurities from the soup. Add the corn and/or carrots, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, and chopped winter melon to the pot. Stir to combine and continue cooking until the winter melon turns translucent and is fork-tender. Add the chopped green onion and cilantro at the end. Serve the soup by itself for a low-carb option, or pair it with steamed rice. Enjoy!

Substitution Tips

1. If you are unable to find winter melon at stores nearby, substitute it with 2 chayotes.
2. Replace shiitake mushrooms with king oyster or shimeji mushrooms if needed.
3. Cilantro : Simply omit it if you don’t like the flavor.
4. Salt : For more umami flavor, substitute salt with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce to marinate the ribs, if you have all the ingredients on hand.

Related Recipes

1. Thai Glass Noodle Soup: This dish has a similar flavor profile but uses ground pork or chicken along with bean thread noodles.
2. Red Curry: Winter melon pairs perfectly with red curry, so it’s worth trying as an ingredient.
3. Green Curry: Winter melon is commonly used in green curry, just as it is in red curry. If you’re not a fan of eggplants, you can replace them with winter melon.