Steamed winter melon and ham

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-30 10:20

Ingredients (for 4-6):

500g winter melon

200g Yunnan Xuanwei or Jinhua ham

1 bunch coriander leaves

1 cup chicken stock

Method:

1. Skin the winter melon and cut into thin slices about 0.5 cm thick. Butterfly the slice again but leave it connected and not completely cut through.

2. Cut the ham slices about the same size as the winter melon slices.

3. Insert a ham slice inside each winter melon "sandwich".

4. Arrange the filled winter melon slices around a plate, slightly overlapping. Place a coriander leaf on each. (The coriander leaf is purely cosmetics. If you don't have time, leave it.)

5. Dampen the melon with a little chicken stock and steam over high heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the winter melon turns translucent. Serve hot with a dash of pepper.

Food notes:

This is what we Chinese call exploiting the original flavors of the ingredients. You do not need any salt, as the flavors of the ham will permeate its winter melon casing. The dash of pepper is to accentuate the taste of the ham. It is an extremely simple dish but very elegant, with the blush of the ham showing through the translucence of the melon.