Melon soup is a soup prepared with

melon A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. It can also specifically refer to ''Cucumis melo'', commonly known as the "true melon" or simply "melon". The term "melon" can apply to both the p ...

as a primary ingredient. Melons such as

bitter melon ''Momordica charantia'' (commonly called bitter melon, cerassee, goya, bitter apple, bitter gourd, bitter squash, balsam-pear, karela, karavila and many more #Uses, names listed below) is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitac ...

cantaloupe The cantaloupe ( ) is a type of true melon (''Cucumis melo'') with sweet, aromatic, and usually orange flesh. Originally, ''cantaloupe'' refers to the true cantaloupe or European cantaloupe with non- to slightly netted and often ribbed rind. ...

crenshaw melon ''Cucumis melo'', also known as melon, is a species of ''Cucumis'' that has been developed into many cultivated varieties. The fruit is a Berry (botany)#Modified berries, pepo. The flesh is either sweet or bland, with or without an aroma, and the ...

, honeydew (casaba melon) and

winter melon ''Benincasa hispida'', the wax gourd, also called ash gourd, white gourd, winter gourd, winter melon, tallow gourd, ash pumpkin, Chinese preserving melon, is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable when mature. It is nat ...

may be used, among others. Some melon soups are prepared with whole pieces of melon, and others use

purée A purée (or mash) is cooked food, usually vegetables, fruits or legumes, that has been ground, pressed, blended or sieved to the consistency of a creamy paste or liquid. Purées of specific foods are often known by specific names, e.g., appl ...

d melon. Some are served hot, while others are served chilled. Some cold varieties are prepared without any cooking involved. Several styles and varieties of melon soups exist, including bitter melon soup, cantaloupe soup and winter melon soup, among others. The origin of some melon soup recipes may cross international boundaries.

Varieties

Bitter melon soup

Bitter melon soup is prepared using

as a primary ingredient, and is a part of

Chinese cuisine Chinese cuisine comprises cuisines originating from Greater China, China, as well as from Overseas Chinese, Chinese people from other parts of the world. Because of the Chinese diaspora and the historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine ...

. In

Cantonese Cantonese is the traditional prestige variety of Yue Chinese, a Sinitic language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It originated in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) and its surrounding Pearl River Delta. While th ...

, bitter melon is referred to as "the cooling melon," using the term ''leung gwa''. In the region of China's

Pearl River Delta The Pearl River Delta Metropolitan Region is the low-lying area surrounding the Pearl River estuary, where the Pearl River flows into the South China Sea. Referred to as the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area in official documents, ...

, bitter melon soup is prepared from fresh melons during the summer, and also from dried bitter melon powder during other seasons. It may be prepared including fish such as bass or carp. File:Canh khổ qua.JPG, A

soup File:Saigon Bitter melon soup.jpg, Bitter melon soup at a restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Cantaloupe soup

Cantaloupe soup is prepared with

as a primary ingredient. It may be prepared in puréed form and is typically served chilled. It is sometimes referred to as muskmelon soup. Cantaloupe soup may be served as a first course or starter dish prior to a main course. The use of well-ripened cantaloupe can create an optimal texture and enhance the sweet flavor of the soup. Additional ingredients can include lime juice, lemon juice, apple juice, orange juice, salt, pepper, herbs such as mint or basil, cayenne pepper and balsamic vinegar. Spicy versions may be prepared using chili peppers. A cantaloupe soup recipe using one large cantaloupe melon, one-half cup orange juice and one-quarter cup of honey has 147 calories per one-cup serving. File:MuskMelonPowderedShrimpBrokenHoneydewNasturtiumProsciutto (8318628657).jpg, A

soup

Watermelon soup

Watermelon soup is prepared with

watermelon The watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Cucurbitaceae, that has a large, edible fruit. It is a Glossary of botanical terms#scandent, scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, and is plant breeding ...

as a primary ingredient, and may be served chilled. The seeds of the watermelon may be removed, or seedless watermelon may be used, and additional ingredients can include additional fruits, ginger, chili pepper and sugar. File:Melonensuppe.JPG,

Watermelon The watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Cucurbitaceae, that has a large, edible fruit. It is a Glossary of botanical terms#scandent, scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, and is plant breeding ...

soup at a restaurant

Winter melon soup

Winter melon soup is prepared with

as a primary ingredient and is a part of

and the cuisine of Hong Kong. It is served often at Chinese

banquet A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes inc ...

s. Winter melon soup may have a slightly sweet flavor. Some recipes may use several ingredients in addition to winter melon, which may include ham, carrot, mushrooms and chicken. Winter melon soup may be served hot, yet has been described as having a cooling effect upon the body when consumed. File:Winter Melon and Seafood Soup - Pre-CNY Diner with the Yews, Easy East.jpg, Close-up view of a winter melon and seafood soup File:Wintermelonsoup.jpg, A

soup File:WintermelonSoup.jpg, A winter melon soup served from a bowl carved from a melon File:Winter melon soup.jpg, Another winter melon soup served from a carved melon bowl

References