#12 Meatball noodle soup with stuffed pork “tang yung” dumplings *

A delicious though time consuming soup. It is very appropriate for celebratory dinners such as the one at Chinese New Year! The stock is very rich and the meatballs full of flavour. The original recipe calls for pork but you could use chicken or turkey mince if you prefer.

To make 4 servings you will need:

For the stock:

1.5 l water

2 tbsp light soy sauce

5-6 drops of sesame oil

1 cm ginger

stalks of 10 shitake mushrooms

For the meatballs:

250 gr pork mince

1 tbsp ginger, finely grated

½ red chilli, finely chopped

a few coriander stalks, finely chopped

1 shitake mushroom, finely chopped

about 15 bean sprouts, finely chopped

1 tsp Chinese cooking wine

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce

a few drops of sesame oil

¼ tsp Szechuan pepper

For the tang yuan:

100 g rice flour

50-60 ml water

For the rice drops:

50 g rice flour

30 ml water

To finish the soup:

100 g noodles

10 shitake mushrooms - caps only, quartered

a handful of ung choy, cut into 3 cm pieces

a handful of bean sprouts

1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional)

Technique:

Put the ingredients for the stock in a large pan and simmer on medium heat for at least 20 minutes. Take the ginger and mushroom stalks out.

In the meantime, put the ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl and mix well.

In another bowl mix the rice flour with the water and knead into a dough. Divide into 12 equal portions. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten between your fingers.

Take a teaspoon of the meat filling, place in the middle of the dough, gather the sides and roll into a ball. Make all the 12 dumplings the same way.

Divide the remaining meat mixture into 16 portions and roll each into a small meatball.

To make the rice drops, put the rice flour and water in a small bowl and mix well. Form into very small balls.

Bring the stock back to the boil and cook the noodles, according to packet instructions. When ready take them out, sprinkle with some oil and leave aside.

Put the meatballs, dumplings and rice drops in and cook for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

To serve: In a serving bowl, put some noodles, a few of the meatballs, one or two dumplings, some rice drops and top with stock. Garnish with bean sprouts, ung choy and chillies.

*adapted using the original recipe by Ching He-Huang from the Market Kitchen