Fuzzy melon (mo gwa in Cantonese) is also known as hairy melon or gourd. While it's popular in the summer because it's considered cooling, it's usually available year-round. It's delicious in this light, homey, soupy dish that is quick to prepare and cook.
If you're planning on making this dish after work, you'll have to remember to soak the mushrooms before you leave the house in the morning. The dried shrimp and glass noodles need only about 10 minutes of soaking to become hydrated, but the mushrooms take much longer, depending on their thickness and age.
Glass noodles are also known as fen si, cellophane noodles and mung bean noodles.
