Chinese Winter Melon and Meatball Soup
A classic, fortifying Chinese soup that comes together from humble ingredients: ground pork, glass noodles, and a hunk of winter melon.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- 1 Heavy-bottomed pot
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground pork with a good amount of fat e.g. 25%-35%
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 2 green onions
Rest of Soup
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 cups Chinese chicken stock
- 1 thumb ginger approx 2 inches
- 1 green onion
- 1 bundle glass noodles aka mung bean vermicelli approx 50g /2oz
- 1 lb winter melon
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 bunch cilantro
Instructions
Meatballs
- Make meatball mixture. Finely mince ginger and green onions. In a large bowl, mix all “Meatballs” ingredients together with chopsticks or your bare hand in 1 direction. Start slowly to incorporate the ingredients, then pick up speed until you’re whipping it like it owes you money. Mix for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is pastelike and clings together rather than crumbles apart.
- Shape meatballs. With your hands, form meatballs around 1½” in diameter (approx. 3 tbsp of mixture). Put meatballs on a plate and set aside.
Rest of Soup
- Saute aromatics. Add vegetable oil to a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering. Slice ginger and white part of green onion (reserve the “greens” for garnish). When oil shimmers, add ginger and green onion whites and saute for 1 minute, or until the aromatics are slightly golden and fragrant.
- Add stock and winter melon. Add stock and bring to a boil. While it heats, prepare the winter melon: remove the dark green rind, discard, and cut melon into bite-size pieces (e.g. ½” x 1 ½”). When stock reaches a boil, add winter melon chunks. Return to boil, then turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 2-5 minutes (depending on how soft you want the melon. I personally like it so mushy I could gum my way through it).
- Add meatballs and noodles. Add meatballs and stir to prevent them from sticking. Return to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add glass noodles and simmer for around 2 minutes, or until just before desired done-ness. Halfway through, gently jostle the noodles with chopsticks, to loosen the bundle and ensure an even cook.
- Add seasonings, garnish, and serve. Add ground white pepper and sesame oil. Turn off heat. Roughly chop cilantro, finely slice green parts of green onion. Sprinkle both on top of soup, and serve. Sip and say “ahhh!”