Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Mini Winter Melon Cups
迷你冬瓜盅
Recipe overview
Mini Winter Melon Cups are a home-style steamed dish: winter melon is shaped into small cups and filled with minced pork, shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp and sweet corn. The winter melon becomes tender and naturally sweet, while a little clear broth remains on the plate.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 800 g winter melon
- 250 g minced pork
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 20 g dried shrimp
- 60 g sweet corn kernels
- 10 g ginger
- 1 spring onion
Seasoning
- Soaking: room-temperature water for soaking
- 2 tsp soy sauce Marinade:
- 1 tsp oyster sauce Marinade:
- 1/2 tsp sugar Marinade:
- 1/4 tsp salt Marinade:
- 1/8 tsp white pepper Marinade:
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil Marinade:
- 1 tsp cornstarch Marinade:
- 1 tbsp water Marinade:
- 250 ml stock or chicken broth for steaming Steaming broth:
- 1/8 tsp salt for broth Steaming broth:
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil for broth Steaming broth:
02
Tools
- cutting board
- knife
- spoon or melon baller
- large bowl
- 3 small bowls
- measuring spoons
- measuring cup
- steaming plate or deep plate
- steamer or covered wok
- colander
- colander
- paper towels
- chopsticks or spoon
03
Steps
Step 1
Step 1
Soak dried shiitake and dried shrimp separately in water. Soak mushrooms 25–30 minutes until soft and shrimp about 10 minutes; drain. Remove mushroom stems and finely dice mushrooms; chop shrimp.
Step 2
Peel and mince ginger
Peel and mince ginger; wash and finely chop spring onion; drain excess water from corn.
Step 3
Put minced pork in a large bowl
Put minced pork in a large bowl. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, salt, white pepper, sesame oil, cornstarch and water; mix in one direction until slightly sticky.
Step 4
Add diced mushroom
Add diced mushroom, chopped dried shrimp, corn, ginger and half the spring onion. Mix into filling and rest 10 minutes.
Step 5
Step 5
Peel winter melon and cut into 4 cylinders, 4–5 cm thick. Scoop out centres to make small cups, leaving a 1.5 cm base and 1–1.5 cm sides; do not pierce through.
Step 6
Step 6
Set the 4 cups neatly on a steaming or deep plate. Divide filling evenly, press gently and fill only level with the winter melon rims.
Step 7
Step 7
Mix 250 ml stock or chicken broth with salt and sesame oil in a small bowl.
Step 8
Step 8
Pour broth carefully around the cups to about one-third of their outside height; do not pour directly onto filling.
Step 9
Step 9
Bring enough water in a steamer to a full boil. Put in the whole plate, cover and steam on high heat for 3 minutes.
Step 10
Step 10
Reduce to medium heat and steam 18–20 minutes more, until winter melon is soft and partly translucent and filling is fully cooked.
Step 11
Step 11
Check the thickest part of filling is fully opaque with no pink minced pork or raw juices. A chopstick should pass through winter melon easily while the cup stays intact.
Step 12
Step 12
Sprinkle remaining spring onion and serve immediately with a little clear broth.
Common mistakes
- Scooping winter melon too thin or through the base causes collapse.
- Uneven cup sizes cook unevenly.
- Overfilling makes filling swell out.
- Pouring broth directly on filling breaks it up.
- Too little steaming leaves hard winter melon and raw pork.
- Oversteaming makes winter melon split.
- Not checking the thickest filling can leave pink pork or raw juices.
- Making a dry stuffed dish or thick gravy version changes the recipe.
Tips
Make the four cups similar in size. Keep enough thickness at the base and sides. Press filling gently only. Finely dice soaked mushrooms for elderly diners. Check the filling centre is fully cooked before serving. Keep seasoning light. Serve the small amount of clear broth too.
