Traditional Chinese Medicine Bitter Melon Soup
A light, restorative soup that balances bitter, sour and savoury - 苦瓜黃豆酸菜排骨湯 Traditional Chinese Medicine Bitter Melon Soup Recipe is a classic home remedy-style soup in Chinese kitchens. With cooling bitter melon, nourishing soybeans, and the digestive lift of suancai (pickled mustard greens), this pork-rib soup brings TCM sensibilities to a weeknight pot. Follow the recipe below (plus substitution options) for a balanced, easy-to-follow TCM soup you'll want to make again and again.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 2 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 large bitter melons (about 1 lbs), choose firm, bright green ones with pronounced ridges
- 1.5 lbs pork spare ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup dried yellow soybeans, soaked overnight
- 1 cup pickled mustard greens, rinsed and chopped
- 2L filtered cold water
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- Sea salt to taste
- 1 corn on the cob, optional
- 1 carrot, optional
Instructions
- 1
- Cut bitter melons lengthwise, scrape out seeds and white pith thoroughly. The more pith you remove, the less bitter your soup will be. Slice into 1-inch crescents.
- 2
- Place pork ribs in cold water, bring to a boil for 5 minutes. This crucial step removes impurities, creating a cleaner-tasting broth. Drain and rinse ribs under cold water.
- 3
- Drain soaked soybeans. Rinse pickled mustard greens if they're very salty. Some brands are saltier than others, so taste first.
- 4
In a large ceramic soup pot, combine blanched ribs, soaked soybeans, ginger, and 8 cups of cold filtered water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 2.5 hours.
- 5
Cover partially and simmer gently. The key to authentic Chinese soup is patience – this slow cooking extracts maximum nutrients and creates that silky, nourishing broth TCM prizes.
- 6
Add bitter melon and pickled mustard greens. Continue simmering until bitter melon is tender but not mushy, and flavours have melded completely.
- 7
Taste and adjust salt. Remember, pickled mustard greens add saltiness, so start conservatively.