Is it just me, or does this feel like the 17th week of February? The February Doldrums are real, and if you suffer from them too you could use a vibrantly red, meaty, warming one pot dish to ward them off. This Beef Sundubu-Jjigae is read more
Hot and Sour Soup has stood the test of time. That perfect balance of savory, tangy, and just the right amount of heat — it wakes up your palate and satisfies every craving at once. Forget the gloopy takeout versions- homemade Hot and Sour Soup read more
When it’s a million degrees out and even the thought of turning on the stove makes you sweat, this Chilled Watermelon Cucumber Soup comes to the rescue. It’s light, hydrating, and bursting with flavor—basically the edible version of jumping into a cold pool. Crisp cucumbers get tossed with punchy and vibrant aromatics like ginger, garlic, and chili, then mellowed out with cool water and sweet, juicy watermelon. A handful of ice cubes chills it all the way down, while toasted sesame seeds give it a nutty little finish.
This recipe is loosely inspired by oi naengguk, a chilled Korean cucumber soup that’s traditionally served icy cold in the summer. But I gave it a little Funky Asian Kitchen twist—with sweet watermelon, a touch of soy, and a hit of heat—to turn it into something totally refreshing and a little unexpected. It’s part salad, part soup, and 100% what your summer needs so let’s get into it.
The cucumbers are the base of this soup. I prefer to use the English ones over the waxy standard ones. For one, they don’t need to be peeled, and their thin skin and nearly seedless interior make prep a breeze. Plus, they’re nice and crisp without being watery, which helps keep the soup light but still full of crunch. Once the cucumbers are cut into matchsticks, they get tossed with a mix of garlic, salt, soy sauce, ginger, scallions, chili, and rice vinegar. Letting them sit for a few minutes draws out their liquid, which turns into the light, flavorful broth for Chilled Watermelon Cucumber Soup—no stock or simmering required.
First I cut the cucumber into thin slices:
Then I stack the slices and make matchsticks:
Now it’s time to add all the flavor boosting seasonings, starting with the minced garlic and ginger:
And green onions:
Next comes the salt:
Then I add soy sauce. If you want to keep this gluten free just make sure you’re using a soy sauce that doesn’t contain any wheat.
A little bit of sugar helps balance all the flavors:
Some nice freshly ground black pepper gets added to the mix:
And finally a dollop of rice vinegar:
Give it all a good stir:
Let it sit for about 5 minutes so the seasonings can draw out the moisture from the cucumbers, resulting in this flavorful liquid. I add the cucumbers and their juice to a large serving bowl:
Then I pour in the cup of cold water:
Then I quickly cube the watermelon. (Hang on to the rind and make Watermelon Rind Kimchi!)
The watermelon gets added to the cucumbers:
And garnished with some sesame seeds:
Then to really cool things down, add the ice cubes. I know this seems weird, but trust the process!
Then it’s time to serve your refreshing, hydrating, and icy soup.
I hope this Chilled Watermelon Cucumber Soup helps you keep your cool this summer. Try it out and let me know what you think, and tag us in your pics at funkyasiankitchen, we love seeing your creations!
Looking for some more low cook/no cook dishes? Check out my Tofu Terrine, Tropical Overnight Oats, or this Chicken Salad.
Ingredients:
Seasoning:
Prepare the cucumber: Cut the cucumber into thin slices. Then stack the cucumbers and slice through them to yield thin matchsticks. Place the cucumbers in a bowl.
Season the cucumbers: Add the seasoning ingredients to the cucumbers and stir to combine. Let the cucumbers sit for 5 minutes. This will draw out some liquid and create the base of your soup.
Pour the cucumbers into a large bowl with all of the juice. Pour the water over the cucumbers and gently stir to combine.
Add the watermelon to the center of the bowl.
Sprinkle some of the sesame seeds on top.
Drop the ice cubes into the soup and serve Chilled Watermelon Cucumber Soup immediately.
*You can also make individual servings of the soup. It is easier to make the cucumber soup first and then portion the soup into the soup bowls before finishing the final steps.
Keywords: chilled, no cook, summer, watermelon, cucumber, soup
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It’s official: Fall has arrived in Miami. We woke up this morning to 63 degree weather. I know most other places are already enjoying cooler temperatures but I was walking in 92 degree weather last week. And now finally we can enjoy our days without the oppressive humid heat. Windows are open, the sun is out, and it’s time to think about something warming and delicious.
I love a repurposed meal. Both because I’m very conscious about food waste, but also because I love getting to be creative in the kitchen and making last night’s meal into something new and exciting. This Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup makes delicious use of leftover chicken, whether it’s one you roasted the day before or a rotisserie chicken. A quick stock is made from the carcass, filled with warming ginger. The soup itself is filled with chicken meat and veggies. Riced cauliflower adds a hearty texture while fresh herbs and a squeeze of citrus keep things light and bright. This is the perfect soup to straddle the changing seasons, so let’s get into it.
This is a very simple stock to make, just throw everything into a stockpot and let time do its thing. Yes in a pinch you can absolutely use store bought stock but it won’t be as fresh tasting or rich as this homemade one. To start, I remove all the meat from the chicken. I always save roast chicken carcasses. They are essentially free and you will be rewarded with an amazing homemade chicken stock. When I’m feeling extra motivated after dinner, I’ll stuff the carcass into a pot and cover it up with water. No extra seasonings, veggies, or herbs- maybe just some salt. It’s my lazy version but hey, you get extra points if you are cooking late at night. Then just let the broth simmer for several hours while you watch some Netflix or relax with your loved ones. If I’m just not feeling it, I’ll shove the carcass into a freezer bag for another day. The more carcasses, the richer the broth ;)
Today, I’m adding a couple aromatics to boost the flavor but the technique is still simple and basic. If you notice my broth, it’s got a milky look which is not common in Western broths. This is because many Asian broths are cooked at a rapid simmer and the agitation creates the milky color and richer mouth-coating flavor. It’s a quick bone broth which will cool into a thick gel if you refrigerate it. This is how tonkotsu ramen broths and Korean rib soups get their iconic white milky color.
Many times when I make chicken stock, I’m using a whole bird and I’m cooking it over much gentler heat because I want to use the cooked chicken too. Here, it’s just the carcass so I like to keep the heat higher than usual. I keep the pot mostly covered so it doesn’t evaporate too much. If you’ve never had this style of broth, it will be a revelation as the flavor is much more pronounced, perfect for a chicken soup.
While you can make the stock the day before, I usually just prep everything else while the stock is simmering, starting with aromatics.
You can use already riced cauliflower or you can make your own. I usually keep a bag of riced cauliflower in the freezer for any last minute needs. It’s always there waiting for your inspiration and requires no prep. I’m generally not a fan of frozen vegetables but corn, artichokes, and cauliflower are reliably good. Furthermore, fresh riced cauliflower has a very short shelf life, so make sure you can use it quickly after purchasing.
You can use the pulse feature on a food processor to rice cauliflower as well, though you don’t want it to get too finely chopped or it will be more mush than rice. Once the cauliflower is riced, I prep the fresh herbs and scallions.
Once everything is prepped and ready to go, I heat up a large pot and assemble the Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup.
I like to add a drizzle of some fish sauce, a squeeze of fresh lime, and some chopped chilies to really make the flavors pop. You can use sea salt or soy sauce if you prefer. I hope you enjoy Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup as much as we do and I’d love to hear what you think.
Leave a comment and don’t forget to tag us @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!
Looking for more soup inspiration? Try my Curry Sweet Potato Soup, Beef Udon, or Chicken Pho. Soup is good food!
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For the Chicken Stock:
For the soup:
*The lime juice will cause the greens in the soup to turn to an olive color if you do not eat the soup immediately. You can serve wedges of limes at the table if you prefer. If you are making the soup ahead of time leave the herbs and lime juice out. When you are ready to serve, reheat and add the herbs at that time.
Keywords: soup, chicken soup, rotisserie chicken, cauliflower rice, fall, winter, ginger
Hi there!
I’m Kazu, a restaurateur in Miami who wants to show you all of the best tricks for creating restaurant quality Asian meals at home.
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