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Low Wong Kua aka Yellow Squash Soup

My daughter told me that in the eight years that she's been in Melbourne, she's never seen the 'Low Wong Kua' aka Yellow Squash in the Asian grocery stores or in Victoria market.  We normally prepare soup with this gourd/squash which is said to contain vitamins A and C besides minerals like manganese, copper and potassium.   It's supposed to be a cooling soup too, very suitable for our Malaysian hot, humid weather.


My mum used to say that should the 'Low Wong Kua' tastes bitter, it means that the same plot of land has just been planted with Bitter gourd, hence the bitter taste.










top picture  .... the 'low wong kua'/yellow squash, whole



bottom picture .... the squash, scrubbed, washed, cut and seeds scrapped off, ready for cooking





Recipe for 'Low Wong Kua' aka Yellow Squash Soup

Ingredients


370 gm Pork bones, near the tail  
650 gm low wong kua
10 gm dried Fish bones - soaked
3 Large Preserved Dates  (mut choe)
3 litres of water
Salt to taste


Method


Wash and scrub clean the skin of the low wong kua
Split it open, scrape off the seeds
wash and cut into 1.1/2 inches width, set aside
Bring some water to the boil
Blanch the pork bones to get rid of scum, drain
Boil the 3 litres of water with the fish bones
and preserved dates
Once the water is rapidly boiling,
add in the cut low wong kua and pork bones
Continue boiling for about 15 mins. on medium heat
then lower heat and boil for another 2 hrs. 45 mins.
Add salt to taste
Serve



Also view
Pork Meat with Lotus Root Soup

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Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 16, 2009 at 11:01 PM

    Hmmm - I don't think I've ever seen this squash in the U.S. either. The soup looks great, though!

    ReplyDelete
  2. penny aka jeroxieOctober 17, 2009 at 4:48 AM

    ohhh!! I am going to make this on the weekend. My mum makes a mean soup. I am actually going to use the green melon?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sokehah cheahOctober 17, 2009 at 10:44 AM

    Hi ValleyWriter
    Thanks for dropping by. Think you can grow this in your garden/backyard, but from what I google to check, those around your part of the world, are very skinny and bright yellow.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sokehah cheahOctober 17, 2009 at 10:48 AM

    Hi penny
    This melon/squash/gourd is actually light to dark brown in colour, the 'older', the darker the colour. In Cantonese we call it 'Old Cucumber', but if this is not available, you can substitute with winter melon or other type of green melon.

    ReplyDelete
  5. MaryMohOctober 17, 2009 at 11:01 AM

    would love this type of simple soup, yet delicious. But can't get the yellow squash here. Have to use other type of vege

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sokehah cheahOctober 17, 2009 at 11:55 PM

    Hi Mary
    Perhaps you can use another type of melon, how about pumpkin? I have 2 other soup recipes in my blog, a lotus root and a watercress, both clear and simple soups.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Divina PeOctober 21, 2009 at 10:01 PM

    I'm not sure if I have this one but do you also call this winter melon or is it a different one? Yeah, they look different though. This is definitely one of daddy's cooking. Very similar. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sokehah cheahOctober 22, 2009 at 12:09 AM

    Divina
    Winter melon is green in colour, round, normally we cook this as 'leong sui', with honey dates and some barley. You can also make 'tong kua choong', that's a dish.

    ReplyDelete

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