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Little known outside of Chinese cuisine, winter melon boasts a juicy watermelon-like flesh that tastes like a milder and sweeter version of daikon radish. Betraying its name, winter melon is the quintessential Chinese summer vegetable, says Leung Fai-hung, executive chef at Hoi King Heen, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Hong Kong.
In the chef's hometown of Xiqiao, in Guangdong, China, the vegetable is often elevated to the status of a cure-all. 'We'd make winter melon water,' says Mr. Leung. 'One cup of that in the beginning of the summer meant we wouldn't ever get heat stroke.' (The recipe: The gourd is dried under sunlight for two days, placed in a container and aged for over a year.)
In a tribute to one of his favorite vegetables, the chef makes a Hangzhou classic steamed winter melon balls but adds his own twist.
Picking the winner: Winter melons are grown in hot climates and harvest in the summer. When they are in season, simply knock one in the belly with your fist and listen. If it is a clear, sharp note, then it means it is ripe: There is enough water in the melon and the flesh is still turgid and not soft. 'That one is the winner,' says Mr. Leung.
Think grapes: When prepared properly, the translucent balls of winter melon laid out on the plate should resemble a cluster of grapes, says Mr. Leung. 'This is easier said than done,' he says. Proper 'balling' with a melon baller takes some practice. The chef's technique involves cutting the raw winter melon into long rectangles, similar to the dimensions of a brick. After scooping out one layer, the uneven surface must be leveled off before starting another layer.
Surprise center: In his own personal touch, the chef uses a smaller melon baller to carve out a center pit in each winter melon ball. He stuffs this cavity with a mixture of diced black olives, pickled mustard greens and blanched choy sum (a vegetable similar to bak choy). 'To me, the saltiness of these ingredients and crunch adds a contrast to the sweetness of the winter melon and softness in its texture,' says Mr. Leung.
An extra step: Before being steamed, the winter melon is 'bathed' with a few ladles of boiling chicken broth. This takes away the raw flavor of the melon, which can be bitter, says the chef. The winter melon balls are then steamed for four minutes.
Picture perfect: To plate, each winter melon ball is laid with the flat side down in the shape of a cluster of grapes. Parsley leaves, or the skin of the winter melon, is cut to mimic grape leaves. Bamboo shoots are placed strategically to resemble grape vines. And a sprinkling of diced red bell pepper adds a final layer of color.
Sauce it up: A simple sauce made of chicken broth, salt, sugar and chicken oil, thickened with corn starch, is spooned over the entire dish. It's then ready for a taste test.
参考译文：
除中华料理外，鲜有别的菜系用冬瓜来入菜。其实，冬瓜有着跟多汁西瓜一样丰满的果肉，而吃起来的口感则像是更清淡、味道偏甜的白萝卜。香港米其林星级餐厅海景轩(Hoi King Heen)的行政总厨梁辉雄(Leung Fai-hung)说，冬瓜虽被称为“冬”瓜，但名不副实，它其实是中国典型的夏季蔬菜。
梁辉雄的家乡在广东西樵，那里常把冬瓜誉为包治百病的灵丹妙药。梁辉雄说，我们会拿冬瓜来煮水，刚入夏时喝一杯冬瓜水意味着这个夏天都不会中暑。(食谱：把冬瓜放到太阳地里晒两天，然后置于容器中发酵一年以上，便可用来煮水。)
为说明冬瓜是深受自己喜爱的蔬菜之一，梁辉雄做了一道杭州经典名菜清蒸冬瓜球，但有所创新。
挑选优质冬瓜：冬瓜在炎热的气候条件下生长，收获季节是夏天。若恰好是夏天吃冬瓜，挑选时可用拳头轻敲其腹部，如果听到的是清晰、响亮的声音，就说明冬瓜熟了。成熟的冬瓜水分很足，果肉仍十分饱满，不够柔软。梁辉雄说，这样的就是好冬瓜。
像葡萄一样：梁辉雄说，当一切准备就绪，半透明的冬瓜球摆在盘中应该像串葡萄似的。他说，这个说着容易做起来难。要想用挖球器挖出名副其实的球需要进行一定的练习。梁辉雄先把生冬瓜切成长方形，大小与砖头类似。用挖球器挖出一层后，须把凹凸不平的表面铲平，才能开始挖下一层。
内有玄机：修饰冬瓜球时，梁辉雄用一个稍小的挖球器在每个冬瓜球的内部挖出一个洞，中间填馅，馅料由切成丁的黑橄榄、腌芥菜和焯烫过的油菜心(类似于小白菜)混合而成。梁辉雄说，我觉得这些配料的咸度和脆感与冬瓜本身的甜度和柔软质感形成了对比。
特别步骤：上锅蒸之前，要让冬瓜球在几汤勺滚开的鸡汤里“洗个澡”。梁辉雄说，这样可去除冬瓜可能略带苦涩的生味。然后，将冬瓜球上锅蒸四分钟。
完美构图：装盘时，每个冬瓜球都要平面朝下放置，摆成一串葡萄的形状。把洋香菜叶或冬瓜皮剪成葡萄叶的样子，再画龙点睛地摆上竹笋，充当葡萄藤，最后再撒些红椒粒来为整个菜品稍许增色。
调味：用鸡汤、盐、糖和鸡油混合熬煮，制成一个简单的酱汁，加玉米淀粉使之变浓稠，淋一勺在整盘菜肴上。然后就可以来试吃了。
