Indonesian Meatball Soup – Bakso
Course: main courses, beef & porkCuisine: IndonesiaDifficulty: MediumServings
4
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Ingredients
500 g ground beef
1 egg
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp fried shallot
75 g tapioca starch
40 g ice cubes
2500 ml water
300 g tofu
10 wonton wrappers
150 ml vegetable oil (for deep frying)
1,5 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic (lightly smashed)
1,5 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
750 g beef bones (preferably from the shank and with the marrow intact)
chopped scallion
egg noodles
chopped scallion
fried shallot
chilis (optional)
Steps
- meatball: Grind together ground beef, egg, salt, pepper, garlic, fried shallot, tapioca starch, ice cubes in a food processor until smooth.
Take about a tablespoon of the mixture and shape into a ball. Repeat until half of the mixture shape into meatballs. Reserve the other half mixture for stuffed tofu and fried wonton.
(You can make the meatballs in a traditional way: Scoop a small amount of the meatball mixture in your hand, clench your fist and push the mixture between the \”hole\” made by your thumb and forefinger; dip your hand regularly in a bowl of cold water to keep the balls from sticking.)
Boil 2,5-liter water in a large pot and add the meatballs. They will sink to the bottom, and once cooked the balls should float to the surface when they are done. Remove cooked meatballs from the pot and set aside.
- soup: Use the broth that we used before to boiled the meatballs. Add the smashed garlic, salt, pepper, and the beef bones. Bring it to boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes.
- steamed stuffed tofu: With a sharp knife, cut a slit into one side of a tofu (triangle shape); scoop out the center of the tofu, leaving the walls of the triangle. Use a teaspoon to fill each tofu generously with the reserve meatball mixture, letting stuffing mound out of the tofu piece.
Place a steamer rack in the bottom of your wok. Fill the wok up with water, and place the plate on the rack. Bring the water to a simmer and steam the plate of tofu for about 5-8 minutes. You can also use a metal steamer if you have one.
- fried wontons: Lay a piece of the wonton wrapper on your palm and add 1 teaspoon of the reserve meatball mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Dip your index finger into the sealing water and trace it on the outer edges of the wonton wrapper.
Heat up some oil for deep-frying. Deep fry the wontons until golden brown and set aside.
- Add the meatballs into the soup and let it warm for a couple minutes.
Divide the egg noodle, stuffed tofu, wonton into 4 serving bowl.
Ladle the hot soup and meatballs directly into the bowls.
Garnish with chopped scallions and fried shallots. Sprinkle with some chili as desired.
