Claypot fuzzy melon with vermicelli was once a classic in traditional Cantonese restaurants back home, yet it’s a dish I rarely see on Bay Area Cantonese menus. At first, I assumed this was because ingredients like fuzzy melon or red fermented bean curd were hard to find. But over time, I noticed that this dish has also been quietly disappearing from restaurant menus back home, so that theory didn’t quite hold up.
The more likely reason could be that this is a deeply home-style dish. There’s no flashy “star ingredient,” but it requires a thoughtful combination of ingredients with umami and a slightly longer process than usual stir-fry dishes.
To preserve the warmth of my childhood memories and to share a classic that’s slowly fading away, I’m noting this recipe here.
Ingredients
- 1 fuzzy melon
- 0.5 lb ground pork
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 5–6 dried scallops
- 10 dried shrimp
- 2 blocks red fermented bean curd
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 0.5 tsp ground white pepper
- 1–2 tbsp red fermented bean curd liquid
- 1 bundle vermicelli
- 1 tsp minced scallions
Instructions
- Step 1: Soak the dried scallops and dried shrimp in water. Reserve the soaking liquid.
- Step 2: Peel the fuzzy melon and slice it into pieces about ½ inch (1 cm) thick and 2 inches (6 cm) long.
- Step 3: Heat oil in a pan or claypot over medium heat. Add the ground pork and stir-fry until the edges turn lightly golden. Add the soaked dried scallops and shrimp and continue stir-frying. Keep the soaking liquid for later.
- Step 4: Once the pork, scallops, and shrimp become fragrant, add the minced garlic and stir-fry until the garlic edges turn golden. Add the red fermented bean curd and stir until it evenly coats the ingredients.
- Step 5: Add the sliced fuzzy melon and stir-fry until the sauce is evenly distributed across the melon.
- Step 6: Pour in the reserved soaking liquid, the red fermented bean curd liquid, and enough hot water to just cover the melon. Season with salt, sugar, and ground white pepper.
- Step 7: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 5–10 minutes, until the melon reaches your preferred tenderness. (I like mine quite soft, so I lean toward the longer cooking time.)
- Step 8: Add the dry vermicelli to the pot, letting it soak up the sauce. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, then sprinkle minced scallions on top.
Ready to serve!
