Hearty Meatball Soup
#Quick & Easy Meatball Soup Using Leftover Dumpling Filling or Squid Sausage Filling
If you have leftover filling from making dumplings or squid sausages, don’t throw it away! You can transform it into a delicious and comforting meatball soup. This versatile mixture can also be used to make delicious pan-fried meatballs (donggeurangttaeng).^^
Meatball Ingredients
- 200g minced meat (pork or beef)
- 1/2 onion, very finely chopped
- 1/2 carrot, very finely chopped
- 1/3 zucchini, very finely chopped
- 3 shiitake mushrooms, very finely chopped
- 1 block firm tofu, water squeezed out and mashed
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp chopped green onion
- Pinch of ginger powder
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (cheongju)
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 egg
- 2-3 Tbsp flour (to adjust batter consistency)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, finely chop all the vegetables and mushrooms for the meatball filling. If you have pre-chopped vegetables from stir-frying, you can use those too. For the tofu, squeeze out as much water as possible before mashing it.
Step 2
Heat about 1 Tbsp of cooking oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger powder and sauté until fragrant. This step helps to infuse the oil with aromatic flavors and reduce any gamey smell from the meat.
Step 3
To easily mash the tofu, you can either drain it well on a sieve or briefly blanch it in boiling water before squeezing out the excess moisture. Ensure the mashed tofu is as dry as possible.
Step 4
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the minced meat to the pan. Break up any clumps with a chopstick or spatula and stir-fry over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. It’s crucial to stir-fry the meat evenly to prevent it from sticking together.
Step 5
When the minced meat is partially cooked, add all the finely chopped vegetables (onion, carrot, zucchini, shiitake mushrooms) and stir-fry them together. Cook over high heat to quickly evaporate any moisture released from the vegetables.
Step 6
Once the meat and vegetables are cooked, let the mixture cool slightly. Then, use the back of a knife or a fork to finely mash the mixture. The vegetables should be softened enough from stir-frying to mash easily.
Step 7
To the cooked meat and vegetable mixture, add the black pepper, salt, and cooking wine. Mix everything thoroughly. The stir-frying process is complete once the meat is fully cooked. For an extra nutty flavor, you can add a drop or two of sesame oil. Transfer the cooked mixture to a wide bowl and let it cool completely.
Step 8
Once the stir-fried meat and vegetable mixture has cooled, add the mashed tofu (with excess water squeezed out) and mix well. If you are using leftover filling from squid sausages, you can also add finely chopped squid tentacles at this stage.
Step 9
To help the mixture bind together, crack in 1 egg. Mix everything thoroughly by hand or with a spatula until well combined. This will form the base for your meatball filling.
Step 10
Gradually add 2-3 tablespoons of flour to the mixture, mixing as you go. The flour acts as a binder, preventing the meatballs from falling apart in the soup. If the mixture is too sticky, add a little more flour.
Step 11
In a pot, bring 4-5 cups of water (or broth) to a boil. For a natural flavor base, you can add ingredients like leek roots, shiitake mushroom stems, and shrimp heads to create a rich broth. (Alternatively, use store-bought broth or anchovy-kelp broth.) Once the broth is boiling, add the chopped green onions and 1 tsp minced garlic for seasoning.
Step 12
To form the meatballs, scoop a portion of the mixture into your palm. Use your thumb and index finger to gently shape it into a round ball as you drop it directly into the simmering broth. This technique helps create beautiful, uniform meatballs.
Step 13
To prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands, lightly wet them with water or oil. Scoop the mixture and use your thumb and index finger to shape it into balls before dropping them into the boiling broth. You can also flatten them slightly like pan-fried patties (donggeurangttaeng).
Step 14
After adding all the meatballs to the soup, bring it back to a rolling boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer. Since the filling ingredients have already been cooked, the meatballs will cook quickly. Once the meatballs float to the surface and are fully cooked, season the broth with soup soy sauce. Add the remaining minced garlic just before serving for an extra burst of flavor.
Step 15
Enjoy your delicious meatball soup, featuring a subtly seasoned yet deeply flavorful broth complemented by tender, homemade meatballs. It’s a wonderfully comforting dish to enjoy with rice!
