Winter Melon Soup with Meatball (冬瓜丸子汤

• Meat

  • 150 g Ground pork
  • 4 cups Pork broth

• Produce

  • 1/3 cup Cilantro
  • 1 tsp Ginger
  • 600 g Winter melon

• Refrigerated

  • 1 Egg white

• Condiments

  • 2 tsp Soy sauce, light

• Baking & Spices

  • 2 tsp Cornstarch
  • 3/4 tsp Salt

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

Found on omnivorescookbook.com

Ingredients

• 150 grams (5 ounces) ground pork (lean fat ratio 7:3)
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg white
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 600 grams (20 ounces) winter melon
• 4 cups pork broth (or chicken broth) (*see footnote)
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

• Combine ground pork, minced ginger, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and egg white in a small bowl, mix well. Add 2 tablespoons water, mix until water is fully incorporated. Blend in cornstarch and mix until the ground pork becomes pasty.
• Prepare winter melon. Use a knife to slice the rind off and discard it. Divide melon into 4 equal parts, then further into 8 parts. Cut off the inner soft part and discard it. Flip the winter melon so that it’s skin side down, and slice along the cut side to make evenly thick pieces.
• Add pork broth to a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Turn to low heat. Use a spoon to scoop about 1 tablespoon of the ground pork mixture to shape it into a ball, and add it to the soup. Make the meatballs one at a time. After the last meatball is added, stir the soup gently 2 to 3 times. Immediately transfer all the meatballs to a plate and set aside. The meatballs should be cooked on the outside but still raw inside.
• Transfer the winter melon to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Turn to medium heat and boil until the winter melon is almost cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. You can try a piece of winter melon; if the texture has begun to turn soft, it’s cooked.
• Add meatballs back into the soup. Bring the soup back to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Turn off heat, cover, and allow soup to sit for another 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste, and mix well.
• Add cilantro to the soup and serve warm.