Winter Melon & Coix Seed Pork Bone Soup

冬瓜薏米排骨汤

Winter Melon & Coix Seed Pork Bone Soup — HunanYueyang home cooking.

Ingredients

• pork neck bones (with marrow)
• dried coix seed (yi mi)
• winter melon
• scallion greens

Instructions

1. Rinse pork bones and blanch as in lotus root soup: cold water, boil, skim foam 3 minutes, rinse well. (Clean white foam, minimal sediment)
2. In clean pot, combine bones, toasted coix seed, and 2 L cold water. Bring to gentle simmer and cook covered on low heat for 60 minutes. (Coix seeds plumping, water turning faintly milky)
3. Add winter melon cubes. Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 25 minutes until melon is translucent and tender but intact. (Melon cubes semi-transparent, edges softening but holding shape)
4. Skim any surface oil. Season only with fine sea salt—never soy sauce or wine, to preserve the soup’s light, cooling nature. (Broth clear pale jade, no oil sheen)
5. Ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish generously with scallion greens just before serving. (Vibrant green flecks against pale broth)