My sister’s neighbour gave her a huge hairy gourd. She gave it to me. I decided to make soup with chicken drumsticks. It’s enough to give my other sister to take home and some to my sister whom gave me the hairy gourd. Of course, my parents and me have some too.

Google: “In English, the fruit is known by a variety of names including hairy melon, hairy gourd, hairy cucumber, fuzzy gourd, fuzzy squash, Chinese preserving melon, wax gourd, or small winter melon. Its flesh is white, and the seeds are crunchy and edible. The fruit is produced on vines in warm temperatures, at 25°C to 35°C, and is sensitive to frost.”

“Hairy gourd is a rich source of vitamin C which helps make blood vessels strong. Additionally, it helps protect from different forms of cancer. Research has shown that constant consumption of vitamin C is related to a reduced chance of certain cancers.”

To it I have also added red dates and goji berries. I am glad to make it as soup. I can make it with koay teow and pan mee later. The soup is dark brown colour as I use chicken cubes that my sister had left in my pantry and it’s expired. I don’t like wasting food, as long as it didn’t kill me, I will use it. The taste is herbal flavour, and delicious. I cook two pots, one for my sister and family the other for my sister some, my parents some and me enough to make with noodles. Let’s make brown soup!!!

Ingredients

1 very huge hairy gourd
8 chicken drumsticks
6 red dates
6 whole garlic cloves, remove skins, lightly crush
2 chicken cubes
4 Tsp chicken stock powder, with 4 Tsp water, divide
100 g goji berries
2 Tbs black pepper, crush lightly and put in a pouch
salt
black pepper
8-12 c water

Method

Place drumsticks in a big metal basin and blanch in hot boil water for 5 minutes. In a big deep pot, put garlic, drumsticks and 8 cups water. Bring it to boil on medium high heat, with lid on for about 10 minutes. Meantime, use a slightly wet paper towel wipe a few times the hairy gourd hair: to get rid of it. Then wipe with a damp cloth all around. Rinse hairy gourd, wipe dry and cut into bite size.

After 10 minutes boiling, lower the heat medium heat, simmer until drumsticks are cooked about 10-15 minutes. Remove drumsticks when they are cooked to a big metal basin. Let it cool completely. Now add red dates, goji berries, pouch crush black pepper and cut hairy gourd. Cook until hairy gourd is soft about 10-12 minutes. Transfer half hairy gourd, soup, red dates, goji berries into another pot. Add 2 c water and 2 Tsp chicken stock powder, and bring it to simmer, very low heat.

Return to the drumsticks that are cold enough to handle. Remove the skins, meat and discard bones. Cut the drumsticks meat to bite size. Place in a metal bowl. Season with salt: rub the salt on all the meat. Now place half meat back into the deep pot. Add another 2 c water, bring to simmer. The other half meat into the other pot.

Check seasoning, add a bit more black pepper and salt to taste. I like it more chicken flavour, I had added 2 Tsp chicken stock powder. Once chicken meat is warm again, switch off hob of both pots. Sever soup with rice, fried rice, noodles or eat on its own. Enjoy!!!

https://helenscchin.com/2024/02/08/hairy-gourd-chicken-soup

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