Dried Conch, Chicken Feet and Muskmelon Soup

Why people make this soup

Muskmelon (also called sweet melon or xiang gua) is clean and sweet, a little like honeydew, with a faint bitterness near the stem. That bitter part is interesting: traditionally the melon stem is associated with supporting the liver and easing the burden of a sluggish liver. With its skin and flesh rich in vitamins and minerals, the melon makes a refreshing soup that Nourilo pairs with conch, chicken feet and pork for liver care and a brighter complexion.

Method

1. Soak and rinse the dried conch. Remove the toenails from the chicken feet. Cut the pork into chunks.
2. Blanch the conch, chicken feet and pork together to clean.
3. Wash the melon with its skin on, remove the pulpy core and cut into chunks.
4. Put everything in a pot with 2.4–2.7 L of water and simmer for about 1.5 hours until reduced to 1.2 L. Serve the soup with the ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is clear and sweet, suitable for young and old. The little operculum (the “lid”) of the dried conch holds rich minerals and nutrients, so add it to the soup too rather than waste it.