Cucumber Minced Meat Soup

Goodness of Cucumber

The cool, crisp cucumber, which belongs to the family of courgettes. It was one of the first vegetables to be cultivated in the world. Although it has little nutritional value, its most remarkable quality is an exceptionally high water content - 96.4%, which makes it both refreshing and low in calories. It is a natural diuretic but not a particularly powerful one....

For beauty purpose, cucumber are also being used as ingredients for its cooling effect. One of the most effective ways to clear eye bags is to put one slice of cucumber on each eye and leave it for 15 minutes.

Now, I would like to share one recipe which is typically a Teochew dish - Cucumber Minced Meat Soup

Ingredients (serves 4 - 6):

1 medium to large cucumber

300 gm of minced meat

50 gm of soya beans

6 cups of water

Method:

1. De-skin the cucumber and cut them in 3 cm chunks
2. Scour out the seeds in the centre portion (see left picture above)
   
3. Marinate minced meat with 1 tsp of cornflour and 1 tsp of soy sauce
4. Stuff the minced meat into the cucumbers, ensuring that both sides are fully covered
5. Put soya beans to boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes
6. Put in the stuffed cucumbers and boil until cucumber begins to turn soft
   

Singapore parents, this is a simple dish that even the children can do it with guidance. Let them try it out.