The soup my mother made for growing children was this one – a bright bowl of winter melon and kelp, with a handful of dried shrimp toasted in the pan first until the whole kitchen smelled of the sea. A home cook wrote it in five steps with the recipe’s whole point in the title: a calcium-rich soup for kids. I made it as written, and it is the soup I now make for my own nephews – simple enough for a weeknight and gentle enough that nobody complains.
Dong gua hai dai tang (冬瓜海带汤) is winter melon seaweed soup – winter melon, soaked kelp, and dried shrimp simmered in water, seasoned with salt and finished with drops of sesame oil. The original is a 5-step recipe whose title says it plainly: a good soup for supplementing calcium, easy to absorb in summer.
What Is Winter Melon Seaweed Soup?
Winter melon seaweed soup (冬瓜海带汤) is a clear homestyle soup of three ingredients: winter melon cut into slices, kelp soaked and cut into segments, and a handful of dried shrimp (xia pi). The dried shrimp are toasted in a little oil first – the recipe’s key step – then the kelp is added and tossed, water goes in, the melon joins the boil, and the soup is seasoned with salt and finished with a few drops of sesame oil.
The method’s logic is gentle and practical. The toasted shrimp give the soup a deep, briny aroma without any stock. The kelp contributes its umami and, with the shrimp, the calcium the title advertises. The melon cooks soft and translucent, absorbing the broth. The whole thing is on the table in about twenty minutes, and the recipe’s closing note is the honest one: simple, delicious, and calcium-rich – and in summer, more soup is easier for the body to absorb.
For the egg side of the seaweed family, my easy seaweed egg drop soup is the quickest bowl in the same kitchen.
1Easy Seaweed Egg Drop Soup (紫菜蛋花汤)A classic, comforting Chinese soup ready in 10 minutes! Learn the secrets to perfect, silky egg ribbons and a savory broth with simple pantry ingredients. It's the easiest, most satisfying soup you'll make all week—even better than takeout!Check out this recipe
Why This Version Works
- The shrimp are toasted first. Dried shrimp hit a little hot oil first and perfume the whole soup – the recipe’s step two, and the dish’s secret.
- Kelp soaks before it simmers. Soaked and cut into segments, it softens into the broth instead of staying chewy.
- Three ingredients, one pot. Shrimp, kelp, melon, water – the whole pantry list is five items including salt and oil.
- Salt, then sesame oil at the end. Season to taste, then a few drops of sesame oil for the finish – the original’s last step.
- A summer soup for absorption. The recipe’s gentle claim: in summer, more soup, easier for the body to take in – and it is a genuinely light bowl.
Equipment Needed
- A medium pot
- A bowl for soaking the kelp
- A ladle
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) winter melon
- 25 g (1 oz) dried kelp (kombu), soaked
- 1 handful dried shrimp (xia pi)
- 9 g (1 1/2 tsp) salt, to taste
- A few drops of sesame oil
- 3 bowls of water (about 700 ml)
Ingredient Notes
Winter melon: 200 g (7 oz), peeled and sliced – it cooks soft and drinks the broth. My winter melon pork rib soup is the slow-cooked side of the same melon.
Dried kelp: 25 g (1 oz), soaked in advance and cut into segments. The recipe’s step one is soaking the kelp. My seaweed egg drop soup uses the same pantry green.
Dried shrimp (xia pi): A handful, rinsed and toasted in the hot oil first – they carry the whole soup’s flavor. This is the calcium the title promises.
Sesame oil: A few drops at the end, straight into the bowl – the original’s finish.
Prep & Mise en Place
Soak the kelp in advance, then cut it into segments. Peel and slice the melon. Rinse the dried shrimp.
The sequence: toast the shrimp in a little oil, toss in the kelp, add the water, add the melon and boil until soft, season with salt, and finish with sesame oil.
Cooking Process
Step 1 – The Simple Ingredients, Prepped
The whole pantry list: kelp soaked and cut into segments, winter melon peeled and sliced, dried shrimp rinsed. The recipe’s opening is just this – the ingredients are simple.
Step 2 – Toast the Dried Shrimp
Heat the pot with a little oil over medium heat – use very little – and toast the dried shrimp first until they are fragrant. This is the step that makes the soup taste of the sea.
Step 3 – Add the Kelp, Then the Water
Add the kelp segments and toss them with the shrimp for a few turns, then add the water – the recipe notes the amount depends on your ingredients, so three bowls is a starting point.
Step 4 – Boil With the Melon, Season With Salt
Add the winter melon and bring everything to a boil until the melon is soft, seasoning with salt to taste.
The counterintuitive detail: the dried shrimp are toasted in the pan BEFORE any water – and that toasting is the whole flavor. Raw dried shrimp taste flat and faintly fishy; the minute in hot oil breaks down their surface and releases the concentrated umami, the way toasting nuts wakes them. The recipe’s step order is not ceremony – the toast is the soup.
Step 5 – Sesame Oil and Serve
Finish with a few drops of sesame oil, ladle into bowls, and serve. Simple, delicious, calcium-rich – and in summer, the recipe’s note: more soup, easier to absorb.
Common Mistakes When Making Winter Melon Seaweed Soup
1. A flat, fishy soup. Cause: skipping the shrimp toast. Fix: toast the shrimp in hot oil first – it is the flavor step.
2. Chewy, unyielding kelp. Cause: not soaking long enough. Fix: soak the kelp well in advance, then simmer until soft.
3. A muddy, cloudy broth. Cause: boiling hard after the shrimp. Fix: a gentle simmer once everything is in.
4. Too salty. Cause: the shrimp and kelp are naturally salty. Fix: season last, after tasting.
5. Crunchy raw melon. Cause: not enough time. Fix: boil until the melon is soft and translucent.
6. A greasy film. Cause: too much oil for the toast. Fix: the recipe says very little oil – a teaspoon is plenty.
Variations
More protein: A few slices of pork or a poached egg – my winter melon pork rib soup is the rib version, and orange winter melon shrimp balls are the melon-seafood pairing in a ball.
Egg ribbon: Pour in a beaten egg at the end for ribbons – seaweed egg drop soup is exactly that bowl, and easy miso soup is the other quick broth in the same drawer.
Goji berries: A scatter at the end adds color and sweetness.
Noodles: A handful of vermicelli turns it into a one-bowl meal – with silky steamed egg with minced pork and fish bone tofu soup for a gentle soup table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this really good for calcium? Dried shrimp and kelp are both naturally calcium-rich – the recipe’s honest claim.
Can I use fresh shrimp? You can, but toast them too – the browning is the flavor.
How long does the kelp need to soak? 30 minutes to an hour for strips; longer is better.
Can I make it ahead? It is best fresh; the kelp softens further on standing. Keep a day refrigerated at most.
Is this a summer soup? Yes – the recipe’s point, and the melon makes it naturally cooling.
How to Serve
Serve hot in bowls – with seaweed egg drop soup and winter melon pork rib soup for a soup table, or beside cucumber and egg stir-fry for a light summer dinner.
Storage & Reheat
Refrigerate for up to 1 day; reheat gently to a simmer. Do not freeze – the kelp turns mushy. Never leave the pot out more than 2 hours.
Allergen Notice
This recipe contains fish/shellfish (dried shrimp) and sesame (sesame oil). It is free of gluten, soy, nuts, dairy, and egg.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
About the Author & Recipe Development
I am Lin, a professional Chinese chef and food writer with a decade in restaurant kitchens before turning to recipes. This xiachufang cook’s calcium soup is my mother’s growing-kids bowl, and the recipe’s five steps hold exactly one secret – the shrimp toast. I tested it as written and confirmed the toast is the flavor. I have not tested the egg-ribbon or noodle variations, so those are your experiments, not my claims.
Authoritative References
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Safe Temperature Chart for seafood and soup storage guidance.
Winter Melon Seaweed Soup (Dong Gua Hai Dai Tang): Calcium Bowl
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Bowl for soaking
- Ladle
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 200 g winter melon, peeled and sliced 7 oz
- 25 g dried kelp, soaked and cut into segments 1 oz
- 1 handful dried shrimp (xia pi)
- 9 g salt, to taste 1 1/2 tsp
- 1 tsp neutral oil for the toast
- 3 bowls water about 700 ml
- 1 dash sesame oil to finish
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients: soaked kelp in segments, sliced melon, rinsed shrimp.
- Toast the dried shrimp in a little hot oil until fragrant.
- Add the kelp, toss, then add the water.
- Add the melon, boil until soft, and season with salt.
- Finish with sesame oil and serve.
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