This is not your grandma's soup recipe. The bright broth comes together in less than 30 minutes and gives ubiquitous ramen a run for its money.
And these are not your grandma's meatballs. Due to the tapioca flour or cornstarch and machine processing, they have a bouncy texture, somewhat reminiscent of the fishcakes often found in Asian soups.
While mie bakso traditionally is served with both egg noodles and rice vermicelli, feel free to adjust for dietary or culinary preference. Either way, this is a light, yet warming meal, which can be tailored to your family based on the garnishes you select.
Meatball Noodle Soup (Mie Bakso)
Broth
4 cups beef broth
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1 finger ginger, peeled and chunked
½ yellow onion, peeled and cut into 2 pieces
2 scallions, cut into 2 pieces, optional
1 piece lemongrass, bruised and cut into 3-4 pieces, optional
salt and pepper to taste
Bakso
1 pound lean (~95%) ground beef
½ cup+2 tablespoons tapioca flour or cornstarch
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon baking powder
small handful chopped cilantro, optional
1 tablespoon crispy fried onions, optional
To Garnish (Per Taste)
vermicelli rice noodles and/or Asian egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
bok choy, cleaned
bean sprouts
soft- or hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
tofu, cut into cubes
sambal ijo (recipe below) or Sriracha
fried onions
Place all broth ingredients into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Simmer while prepping meatballs, for a total of at least 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the solids (garlic, onions, ginger, scallions and lemongrass). Season broth with salt and pepper to taste.
While broth is simmering with the solids, place all meatball ingredients into a food processor, along with 2 tablespoons of ice water. Puree until mixture is a smooth paste and well combined.
After removing the solids from the broth, place a bowl of ice water by the meat mixture, near the stove. Wet hands, including palms, and break off a ping-pong ball sized piece of the meat mixture. Roll into a ball between your palms and gently place into the simmering broth. If the mixture sticks to you hands, dampen them again. Stir gently to ensure the meatballs do not stick to the bottom. The meatballs will float once they are cooked, around 15-20 minutes, although cut one open to verify they are cooked thoroughly.
Place desired amount of noodles in a soup bowl. Add 3-4 meatballs and any vegetable accompaniments you are using. Ladle broth on top, then add eggs, tofu, and/or hot sauces.
Sambal Ijo (Indonesian Green Chili Sauce)
4 jalapeños
1-2 long hot chili
1 small green tomato
½ shallot
1 small handful cilantro
¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ lime
Place jalapeños, long hot chili, green tomato, shallot, and cilantro into a small food processor and process into a coarse blend. In a small saucepan heat the oil. Sauté the chopped ingredients for 3 minutes. Add the sugar and salt and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the juice from the half a lime. Serve sambal ijo atop the bakso. Remainder can be saved in a clean container in the refrigerator for 5 days.
FUN FACTS:
Indonesia has the world's largest flower, nicknamed the Corpse Flower, which can grow up to 3 feet across. Unfortunately, it smells like rotting meat, thus the name.
Indonesia’s flag is almost identical to Monaco’s flag: a red top and white bottom. Indonesia’s flag is wider (Monaco's squarer), and the red on Indonesia's flag is lighter.
Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, with 17,508 islands.
Comments