Vietnamese Wintermelon and Pork Soup (Canh Bi) Recipe (with Video)

Preparing the Pork Neck
1. Parboil your pork neck with enough water to cover them and 1/2 tbsp salt.
2. Once boiling, dump water and clean the bones.
3. Clean the pot and add back the cleaned neck bones.
Preparing the Stock
1. To the pot with cleaned neck bones, add 1/2 tbsp salt and 6 cups of water.
2. Bring to a boil, and then lower to simmer for 3 hours so the bones are tender.
Preparing the Wintermelon
1. While waiting, cut and clean the Wintermelon.
2. Remove the dark outer shell of the Wintermelon.
3. Remove the seeds.
4. Cut and cube the Wintermelon into 1” pieces.
5. Set aside.
Combining Ingredients and Cooking
1. After 3 hours of cooking, add the Wintermelon to the stock.
2. Allow to cook for 15 minutes.
Seasoning and Serving
1. Season the broth with chicken powder, sugar, and MSG.
2. No fish sauce for melon soups.
3. Taste and adjust to your liking.
4. Garnish with sliced green onions.
5. Serve with rice and pickled/fermented side dishes (Mam Dua, etc.).
Alternative Ingredients
1. Instead of pork, you can also use chicken stock or shrimp based stock.