Soft Mackerel Ball Egg Drop Soup
Mild and Tender Mackerel Ball Egg Drop Soup: A Convenient Meal Option
This gentle and smooth Mackerel Ball Egg Drop Soup is made with mackerel, known for its health benefits like preventing adult diseases and aiding in children’s growth, making it enjoyable for all ages. Adding minced chili peppers offers a spicy yet savory and tender flavor. The mackerel balls are made by grinding mackerel with potatoes, then flash-frozen and packaged, offering incredible versatility. They can be pan-fried like Korean ‘donggeurang ttaeng’ (meat patties) or cooked in an air fryer, with various seasonings and cheese to create diverse dishes. Rich in nutrients and free of flour, this soup is ideal for patients. Its soft texture also makes it suitable for baby food or as a children’s snack. Even after being stored in a kimchi refrigerator overnight, the mackerel balls in the egg drop soup remained intact, showing minimal expansion or sogginess.
Main Ingredients- 230g Korean Mackerel
- 1/2 potato
- 1/2 green onion stalk
- 1 egg
- 1 piece dried kelp
- 1 chicken stock cube (or dried anchovy sachet)
- 700ml water
- 1 red chili pepper, minced
- 1 Cheongyang chili pepper, minced (optional)
- A little chives, minced
Seasoning- 1/2 tsp tuna extract (fish sauce)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp tuna extract (fish sauce)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 tsp minced garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the Korean mackerel. Using fresh ingredients is key to achieving a tender texture in your mackerel balls.
Step 2
Clean the mackerel, removing all bones. Peel or wash the potato and green onion thoroughly. Also, prepare the egg, red chili pepper, and Cheongyang chili pepper (if you prefer it spicy).
Step 3
Finely mince the red and Cheongyang chili peppers, removing the seeds. If you enjoy a spicy kick, feel free to add more Cheongyang chili peppers.
Step 4
Slice the green onion thinly. This will add a refreshing flavor and aroma to the soup.
Step 5
Cut the deboned mackerel and peeled potato into bite-sized pieces.
Step 6
Place the cut mackerel and potato into a blender. Add 1/2 teaspoon of tuna extract and a pinch of black pepper, then blend until smooth. The potato helps create a tender texture and aids digestion.
Step 7
With slightly moistened hands, shape the blended mackerel mixture into small, round balls. Making them bite-sized will ensure they cook evenly and are easy to eat.
Step 8
Pour 700ml of water into a pot and add the piece of dried kelp. Bring to a boil. The kelp will add depth to the broth.
Step 9
Once the water is boiling, remove the kelp. Add the chicken stock cube (or a sachet of dried anchovies for broth) to further enrich the soup’s flavor.
Step 10
Add the prepared mackerel balls to the boiling broth and simmer for about 5 minutes. They are cooked when they float to the surface.
Step 11
Add the sliced green onion and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic to the pot, and boil for a little longer. Garlic helps to eliminate any fishiness from the mackerel and adds umami to the soup.
Step 12
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg.
Step 13
While the soup is simmering, slowly drizzle the beaten egg in a circular motion around the edges of the pot. Turn off the heat once the egg is cooked into soft ribbons.
Step 14
Ladle the finished Mackerel Ball Egg Drop Soup into bowls. Garnish with the minced red chili pepper and chives. For a spicier version, add the minced Cheongyang chili pepper on top. Adjust seasoning to your taste with salt or soy sauce. Enjoy!
