Pepino Melon, Carrot, Water Chestnut and Goji Berry Soup

Why people make this soup

Pepino melon (ren shen guo, literally “ginseng fruit”) is a South American fruit — Solanum muricatum — that is sometimes mislabelled in shops as a different exotic variety. One thing worth knowing when selecting it: look for fruits that have just started to show a slight yellow tinge on the skin. Fully pale or white fruits are underripe and will taste bland, but once the skin begins to yellow, the fruit becomes genuinely sweet and pleasant.

In Chinese food therapy, pepino melon is considered to nourish the spleen, moisten the stomach, generate fluids, and relieve thirst. Modern nutritional research has highlighted its relatively high selenium content — a trace mineral with well-documented antioxidant properties. This, combined with its traditional associations with blood sugar and blood pressure regulation, makes it an interesting ingredient for a supportive soup during recovery or for those managing chronic conditions.