Melon soup facts for kids
A melon soup with skewers of melon balls, Mozzarella balls and meat
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| Type | Soup |
|---|---|
| Serving temperature | Hot or chilled |
| Main ingredients | Melon |
| Variations | Bitter melon soup |
Melon soup is a yummy soup made mainly from melons! People use all sorts of melons to make it. Some popular choices are bitter melon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and winter melon.
Sometimes, the soup has whole pieces of melon. Other times, the melon is blended into a smooth purée. You can enjoy melon soup in different ways. Some types are served warm, while others are served chilled. Some cold versions don't even need any cooking! There are many kinds of melon soups, like bitter melon soup, cantaloupe soup, and winter melon soup. These delicious recipes can be found in different countries around the world.
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Discover Different Melon Soups
There are many exciting types of melon soups to explore! Each one uses a different kind of melon and has its own special taste.
Bitter Melon Soup: A Chinese Favorite
Bitter melon soup is made with bitter melon. It's a popular dish in Chinese cooking. In a Chinese language called Cantonese, bitter melon is known as "the cooling melon." This is because people believe it helps cool your body down.
In a part of China called the Pearl River Delta, people make bitter melon soup with fresh melons in the summer. During other times of the year, they might use dried bitter melon powder. Sometimes, fish like bass or carp are added to this soup.
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A bitter melon soup.
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Bitter melon soup in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Cantaloupe Soup: Sweet and Chilled
Cantaloupe soup uses cantaloupe as its main ingredient. It's often blended until smooth and usually served cold. You might also hear it called muskmelon soup. This soup is a great choice for a first course before your main meal.
Using a very ripe cantaloupe makes the soup taste super sweet and gives it a perfect texture. Chefs often add other ingredients to make it even better. These can include:
- Lime juice
- Lemon juice
- Apple juice
- Orange juice
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- Fresh herbs like mint or basil
- A little cayenne pepper
- Balsamic vinegar
Some recipes even add chili peppers for a spicy kick! A serving of cantaloupe soup (about one cup) made with a large cantaloupe, half a cup of orange juice, and a quarter cup of honey has about 147 calories.
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A delicious cantaloupe soup.
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Watermelon Soup: A Refreshing Treat
Watermelon soup is made with watermelon and is often served chilled. To make it, you can remove the seeds from the watermelon, or use a seedless watermelon. Other ingredients that can be added include:
- Other fruits
- Ginger
- Chili pepper
- Sugar
It's a really refreshing soup, especially on a warm day!
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Watermelon soup at a restaurant.
Winter Melon Soup: A Traditional Dish
Winter melon soup is made with winter melon. It's a big part of Chinese cooking and the food of Hong Kong. This soup is often served at special Chinese banquets.
Winter melon soup can have a slightly sweet taste. Many recipes include other tasty ingredients besides winter melon, such as:
- Ham
- Carrots
- Mushrooms
- Chicken
Even though winter melon soup is often served hot, people say it has a "cooling effect" on the body when you eat it. This soup was even written about in an old book called Sheng Ji Zong Lu (which means Holy Records of Relief).
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A close-up of winter melon and seafood soup.
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A winter melon soup.
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Winter melon soup served in a bowl carved from a melon.
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Another winter melon soup served from a carved melon bowl.
