Ingredients prep

➥Chicken: Cut into pieces
➥Winter melon: Peel, remove seeds, and cut into preferred size chunks
➥Ginger: Slice and julienne
➥Green onion: Chop
➥Shiitake mushrooms: Cut into small pieces
➥Clams: Soak in salted water to purge sand, then rinse and set aside

① In a pot, add chicken pieces, ginger slices, rice wine, and enough water to cover the ingredients by about 1 inch (2.5 cm)
② Bring to a simmer over medium heat and blanch until the chicken firms up and changes color, then remove
③ Rinse the surface of the chicken pieces and set aside

① In a pot, add the blanched chicken, winter melon, shiitake mushrooms, and enough water to cover the ingredients by about 1 inch (2.5 cm) or as desired
② Bring to a boil over medium heat and skim off any foam
③ Cover and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes
❶ Adjust cooking time based on your preferred winter melon texture; just cook until tender

① When the winter melon is tender, uncover and add clams, julienned ginger, a small handful of chopped green onion, and rice wine. Simmer over medium-low heat until the clams open
❶ Rice wine is optional
❷ You can also cover the pot while cooking the clams

① Stir and taste the soup
② Add salt, white pepper, and a drizzle of sesame oil to taste, then serve
❶ If there are too many ingredients, you can remove some before seasoning, then add them back in