Watermelon chicken is a famous traditional seasonal dish, which is made with chicken and watermelon, a good kind of summer-heat clearing fruit. It is delicious, fragrant and nutritious.

The main material of the dish is chicken. The making of it includes the jointing and heading of the chicken, the removing of its viscera, and the seasoning of water, ham and bamboo slices. It is to be braised with intense heat until the flesh is tender enough. Then to make a hole in the watermelon from where the pulp is to be emptied. Engraved with characters or designs on the rind, the watermelon is to be briefly scalded before cooling it in water. Then the chicken together with the soup, ham, bamboo slices and mushroom is to be put into the watermelon. Covered close, the dish is ready for service after several minutes' steaming.

Source: suzhou.gov.cn

Editor: Feng Hui