How to Make Mee Bakso (Indonesian Meatball and Noodle Soup)
Meatballs are ubiquitous in Asian noodle soups. What makes the Indonesian bakso different? They are dense because of the paste used to make them.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 3 persons
Ingredients
- 5pounds beef bones (preferably from the shank and with the marrow intact)
- 1knob of ginger (peeled)
- 4cloves garlic (lightly smashed)
- a 2-inch piece of cinnamon bark
- 3cardamom pods (lightly pounded)
- 3cloves
- 6black peppercorns
- 18meatballs
- 1small carrot (thinly sliced)
- 4cups of spinach (or bok choy , rinsed)
- 3cups egg noodles (cooked)
- ½cup crisp-fried shallots ( store-bought is okay)
- Optional: 3 hard-boiled eggs (split lengthwise)
Instructions
Step 1
Gather the ingredients.Step 2
Place the beef bones in a pot. Cover with water.Step 3
Bring to the boil; skim off any scum that rises.Step 4
Add the ginger, garlic, cinnamon , cardamom , cloves, and peppercorns . Simmer for at least two hours.Step 5
Strain the broth and pour back into the pot; discard the bones and aromatics.Step 6
Heat the broth until simmering. Drop in the meatballs.Step 7
Using a kitchen spider, blanch the sliced carrot and spinach separately in the hot broth.Step 8
Divide the noodles among three bowls.Step 9
Divide the carrot slices and spinach into three portions and put in the bowls next to the noodles.Step 10
Ladle the hot soup and meatballs directly into the bowls.Step 11
Top each bowl with crisp-fried shallots and split hard-boiled eggs, if using.