Chinese Meatball and Cabbage Soup

Ingredients

• 60 g carrot (minced)
• 40 g ginger (Smash 30 g and finely mince the remaining 10 g.)
• 600 g Chinese leaf cabbage (thinly sliced)
• 3 spring onions (Separate the whites from the greens; use the whites in the meatballs and the greens in the soup.)
• 1.5 L water (for the broth)
• 2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder (for the soup)
• 1.5 tsp white pepper (for the soup)
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce (for the soup)
• 0.5 tsp sea salt flakes (for the soup)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil (for the soup and to drizzle before serving)
• 500 g pork mince, 20% fat (Chicken or beef mince may be used instead, according to the author.)
• 0.5 tsp white pepper (for the meatballs)
• 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder (for the meatballs)
• 1.5 tbsp cornstarch (for the meatballs)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce (for the meatballs)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce (for the meatballs)
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (for the meatballs)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil (for the meatballs)
• 1 egg (added after mixing the other meatball ingredients)

Steps

1. 1

   Mince the carrot. Smash 30 g of the ginger and finely mince the remaining 10 g. Thinly slice the Chinese leaf, then separate the spring onion whites from the greens.

2. 2

   In a bowl, combine the minced carrot, minced ginger, and spring onion whites with the pork mince.

3. 3

   Add the meatball white pepper, chicken bouillon powder, cornstarch, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.

4. 4

   Add the egg and mix it into the pork mixture. Slam the mixture down repeatedly, folding and pressing it, to help create a bouncy texture.

5. 5

   Heat the smashed ginger in a wok or pot over medium heat for 1 minute to release its aroma.

6. 6

   Add the water, soup white pepper, light soy sauce, and sea salt flakes to the pot. Let the broth simmer briefly for 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Shape the meatballs: cup a portion of the meatball mixture in one hand, close your fist, and squeeze the mixture out. This forms a compact meatball without requiring a perfectly round shape.

8. 8

   Gently add the shaped meatballs to the simmering broth.

9. 9

   Cover the pot and cook for about 8–10 minutes, until the meatballs are tender and cooked through.

10. 10

    Remove the lid and add the sliced Chinese leaf and spring onion greens.

11. 11

    Simmer for 2–3 more minutes, until the Chinese leaf is wilted.

12. 12

    Drizzle with the remaining sesame oil before serving.

Notes

The description specifies a whole egg, while the audio transcript says egg yolk; the author-provided written description was treated as definitive. The source does not provide a specific serving temperature or broth volume reduction.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• comfort food
• Chinese-inspired
• pork
• weeknight
• one-pot
• high-protein