Name: Bitter Melon Rib Soup {苦瓜排骨汤 Cantonese Classic}
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 7 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2 lb pork ribs, either spare ribs or rib tips; 3 Bitter Melons, a little under 1 lb; 1 cup dried soybeans, 150 g or 5.2 oz; a handful of dried red jujube; 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce; 16 g ginger, thin sliced; 1 stalk of green onion, chopped; 1/2 tsp canola oil, for pan fry ribs; 1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt, {additional 1/2 tsp for marinating Bitter Melon}; 2 tbsp White Vinegar; 8 cups of water

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Bitter Melon Rib Soup {Ku Gua Pai Gu Tang 苦瓜排骨汤} is a traditional Chinese Bitter Melon Soup popular in China’s Guang Dong {Canton} area. It features soft bitter melon, meat falls off the bone pork ribs, and previously slow-cooked soybeans. All in an extremely naturally delicious clear soup. Red jujube not only provides the contrast of the color but also helps sweeten the soup.

In Guang Dong, the locals usually call them “cooling melon” {Liang Gua 凉瓜} instead of “bitter melon” {Ku Gua 苦瓜} for a more upbeat connotation. This is because “Ku” {苦} in Chinese is also associated with hardship or misery. TCM {Traditional Chinese Medicine} believes bitter melon can help calm and clarify our internal body systems, hence the nickname.

Bitter Melon Rib Soup {Ku Gua Pai Gu Tang 苦瓜排骨汤 Cantonese Classic}

I lived in Shenzhen for two years after having graduated from college in the early 90’s. Among all the Cantonese food I enjoyed, Bitter Melon Rib Soup has a special place in my heart. True, bitter melon is bitter. However, that subtle bitterness, coupled with the satisfying pork yumminess and nutty soybeans, created such a sophisticated palate.

Keep reading to learn all the tips on how to make bitter melon less bitter and how to make a satisfying soup out of it.

Bitter Melon Fun Facts and Health Benefits

Bitter Melon Growing on the Vine in our garden

They are gourd native to many locations around the globe and are especially popular in areas such as Southern China Guang Dong area, India, and Vietnam. The gourd gets its name from its taste.

The melon itself looks different in terms of the shade of green and the shape of the gourd, depending on the specific species. The one we have this year has a pale green color, pointy ends, and rough skins. The ones common in China have a jade green color, smooth skin, and round ends.

Bitter Melons are super nutritious food. They are rich in essential vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Folate, potassium, zinc, and iron. It is worth mentioning that Bitter Melon contains loads of Vitamin C.

Especially, Bitter Melon is well-known for its ability to lower blood sugar. For that reason, people consider bitter melon an alternative medicine to treat diabetes-related conditions.

Read here to learn more about this impressive gourd.

How to make Bitter Melon less bitter for Bitter Melon Soup Recipes?

The first thing is to remove the pith of Bitter Melon thoroughly

Remove the pith, including the seeds thoroughly, and scrape clean using a spoon. The seeds, initially whitish green, turn into shiny orange-red as they mature.

Tip #2 is to Rub Bitter Melon with Salt for Bitter Melon Rib Recipe Soup

The salt counter reacts with the bitterness and helps ease the over-powering bitterness. When making a soup, I usually just let the salt stay on while the soup broth is simmering. I then rinse off the salt cut the bitter melon into bite-size pieces and add to the soup.

Tip #3 is to complement Bitter Melon with naturally sweet ingredients for the soup

Red Jujube {Hong Zao 红枣} or Goji Berry are two excellent ingredients that are naturally sweet to compensate for the bitterness. Both Goji Berry and Red Jujube are superfoods by themselves, by the way.

How to make a delicious Bitter Melon Rib Soup?

Tip No. 1 is to marinate the bitter melon to cut down the overpowering bitterness

See “How to make Bitter Melon Less Bitter” for more details.

Tip No.2 is to add complementary ingredients such as soybeans and red jujube

Soybeans have a satisfying nutty aroma and flavor which complement this soup so well. Red jujube adds color appeal and sweetens the soup naturally and subtly.

Tip No.3 is to add a splash of white vinegar when cooking soup

The white vinegar will further cut down the bitterness of the melon and make rib tender.

TIP No.4 is to pan fry or sear the ribs first

Pan-fry and sear the ribs with green onion, ginger, and a touch of Shaoxing Wine and Light Soy Sauce. Then add boiling water to slow cook, about 45 minutes into an extremely yummy soup base.

Last but not least, add bitter melon to the soup in the last 15 minutes of cooking

This is the key to a tasty soup and a more refreshing look and bite of bitter melon.

Bitter Melon Rib Soup {苦瓜排骨汤 Cantonese Classic}

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Additional Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 7 hours 5 minutes

Bitter Melon Rib Soup {Ku Gua Pai Gu Tang 苦瓜排骨汤} is a traditional Cantonese Soup popular in China’s Guang Dong {Canton} area. It features soft bitter melon, meat falls off the bone pork ribs, and previously slow cooked soybeans. All in an extremely naturally delicious clear soup. Red jujube not only provides the contrast of the color but also helps sweeten the soup.

Ingredients

2 lb pork ribs, either spare ribs or rib tips
3 Bitter Melons, a little under 1 lb
1 cup dried soybeans, 150 g or 5.2 oz
a handful of dried red jujube
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
16 g ginger, thin sliced
1 stalk of green onion, chopped
1/2 tsp canola oil, for pan fry ribs
1/2 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt, {additional 1/2 tsp for marinating Bitter Melon}
2 tbsp White Vinegar
8 cups of water

Instructions

Prep Soybeans and Bitter Melon:

Soak dried soybeans in plenty of water for at least 6 hours before cooking.
Wash and rinse soybeans well and add to a saucepan, along with 4 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and then simmer for 2 hours and set aside. Save the juice used to boil the soybeans. To streamline the cooking, better do these two steps one day prior.
Gather all ingredients. Separate ribs into individual pieces, wash, and rinse well.
Wash and rinse Bitter Melon well, cut open vertically, remove the pith, including the seeds thoroughly, and scrape clean using a spoon.
Sprinkle 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt in the chamber of bitter melon, gently rub and set aside.

Make the Rib Soup Base:

Turn the heat to medium-high and heat a large cast-iron stockpot or triply stockpot for 1 minute. Spray 1/2 tsp canola oil into the pot using a home oil sprayer, along with chopped green onion and sliced ginger. Stir fry for 10 seconds or till fragrant, and add ribs into the pot.
Stir Fry ribs for 1 minute and then try to lay them flat with minimal overlay. Cook for 2 minutes.
Pour Shaoxing wine and Light soy Sauce over the ribs in a circular motion. Stir fry for 1 minute and let them cook the other side for 1 minute.
Add 8 cups of water to the pot, and previously slow-cooked soybeans along with the boiling juice.
bring to a boil, about 5 minutes, and then turn the heat to simmer and cook for 1 - 2 hours. Spare ribs require less time, but rib tips may require a longer time of slow cooking.

Cook Bitter Melon Rib Soup:

Wash and rinse bitter melon thoroughly and then cut into bite-size slices.
Add bitter melon pieces and a handful of dried red jujubes to the soup, along with 2 tbsp white vinegar. Gently stir to mix. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil.
Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove foams floating on top of the soup if needed.
All done! Enjoy a naturally yummy and healthy soup.

Notes

Soybeans tend to be extremly dry and take long time to cook. They are much drier compared to black beans, for instance. It is better if you prepare the soybeans one day prior. Leave at least 4 hours for soybeans to soak, preferably soak overnight. Simmer the soybeans for 2 hours.